Lost Boys: The Urge
by Onlyindreams145
Summary: Year: 1987 Name: Mia Hathorn What if Star wasn't the first Lost Girl? What if Max did trial and error with his "children" and his first "daughter" turned out to be an error? What will become of her? Oc/oc oc/lost boy undecided please review! (takes place before the movie) part 1 of the Urge trilogy
1. Chapter 1 Senior Sunset 1987

I sat with my legs crossed on the vibrant grass as I felt it prickle my legs through my skirt, I was surprised at the turn out; hippies, stoners, the punks and the populars with their jocks. Not all the seniors showed but at least a plethora of representatives from each clique had made an appearance. I sighed resting on the palms of my hands, looking up through silhouetted leaves at the purple and orange sky that resembled a pastel water painting.

Unlike the other attendees, I was there alone, my friends had decided to go clubbing after graduation and no doubt get wasted. But that wasn't for me. I wanted to see my last sunset as a high school student, I wanted to see my last sunset in my hometown before I moved away in the morning.

"Hey Mia." One of the punks waved to me as he walked by to return to his clique with some beers. I smiled back.

Then a sad realization hit me, in my small town I wasn't a popular kid, but everyone was friendly to me and knew my name, and when we moved to this big city-like place I may never hear someone say "Hey Mia" with absentminded kindness for a long time, not forever, I knew that, but a long time. This was my home and they were ripping me from it, not out of cruelty but for my own good and the good of my grandmother. I didn't believe them when they said high school flew by, freshmen year seemed like entering a long cave with no light to be seen at the end and now I was at the end and found the light of adulthood blinding and scary as hell.

I listened to the swell of boom box music drift in the air in a strange mash-up of Blondie, Michael Jackson and Foreigner. But my ears trained themselves to focus on one song in the distance; the words rang true for the scene of the setting sun unfolding before me, Beauty did have her way.

I slid my yearbook from my side and put it behind my head as a make shift pillow, I allowed my mess of chestnut hair to fan out on the grass, spilling over my yearbook edges. As I looked up into the sky I slipped away into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2 Road Trip

"MIA!" A far off voice called, followed by a crude **_BEEP BEEP. _**I sat up and looked to my left down the hill and into the street to see the black 84 Mercedes-Benz waiting for me with my mom's head popping out of the window our dog Cooper in her lap. Even from where I stood I could see her annoyed expression. "MIA MOONCHILD HATHORN!" She beckoned again waving her arm for me to come. I cringed at the sound of my "eclectic" middle name. I scooped up my yearbook and made my way down the hill, the sun toasty on my skin.

As soon as I shut my door, little Cooper made his way from the front seat to the back mulling my face with kisses as I laughed jerking my head and pushing him gently away. My mom looked over the shoulder of the leather seat and shook her head, her hazel eyes that she had passed down to me, marked with disapproval. "Mia, why didn't you come home?" she asked in discontentment. I shifted in my seat to face her head on. "I wanted to watch the sunset one last time and-"

With an exasperated sigh she cut me short. "Mia, that is so childish; you realize I was left alone to pack up YOUR things."

I raised an eyebrow at this; I had spent the last few weeks of my senior year packing and re-packing until it was to her satisfaction, the only things I had left out was my lamp, the sheets and pillows on my bed and a few posters. Could these trivial things be what she was so mad at?

She shook her head again and started the car. "Watching the sunset." She murmured. "Mia your 17 now and entering adulthood you need to start using your time wisely. We are 15 minutes late getting on the road."

"I could have hitched-hiked." I offered still stroking Cooper's wild orange-colored fur as he had just settled in on my lap; I smiled down at him with a maternal love. "Or gotten a taxi."

I could see her eyes roll at me in the mirror. "Mia…" she began but stopped.

It was an easy ride and faintly familiar; we had vacationed there a few times when I was young; the memories were vague but there. With each roll of the car mom's shoulders seemed to relax and a slow smile began to appear. "You know, I used to be able to drive this hill at night when I was your age." She announced with a certain amount of pride as the car glided around sharp turns. I think she was glad we were moving back where her roots were, or at least a town over.

Out the window, I could see my grandma sitting at one of the red cement tables, already with food before her. I perked up and burst out of the car before it was even stopped and came like a crater hurtling to earth into my grandmother's arms.

"Oh Mia!" she cried holding me fondly at arms-length. "Mia you look absolutely stunning!" I giggled and spun around and she gasped taking my hair and letting it fall through her fingers like a waterfall. "And your hair is getting so long, my word."

"Mia!" Mom shot with condescendence, holding Cooper up, to show me that I had forgotten him. "Oh yeah mom. Sorry!" quickly I went back over to my mom and took Cooper in my arms as he wagged his limp little tail that was two inches too long for his body.

We sat and had our lunch; it had been the best Mexican food I had ever tasted in my life. It was authentic, with a certain mouthwatering freshness and the portions were more than large enough for a small army.

My mom inquired about the house and whether or not my grandma had seen it yet. She said no because she was too busy with the foreclosure on her flat, she said that the buyers were making up random problems just so they could get more bang for their buck, which was ridiculous because the flat was beautiful and whatever shape my grandmother got something in she restored it and maintained it into something that was above and beyond.

A look of concern crossed mom's face; worried that entering a house bought by a mere picture would be too cumbersome a task. But not me, at that moment, in that quiet taco shack, I believed the three of us could overcome anything… but nothing,… nothing could have prepared us,.. prepared me for Santa Carla.


	3. Chapter 3 Santa Carla

The sign stood towering over the car; painted mountains, waves and church stood behind bold orange and yellow letters. "Welcome to SANTA CARLA".

Mom in haled a breath with tranquility. "Ah, smell that ocean air Mia!" she purred rolling her shoulders. "That is the smell of a brand new life; just for us girls."

I grinned with eagerness; to finally see my mom and grandma with some happiness after the nasty 22 year marriage to my cheating father, the 8 month divorce and the death of my grandfather. I quickly turned in my seat and waved to my grandmother; who, in returned gave a joyful wave and smile followed by a honk of her horn. I was happy, that was until I saw it,… the graffiti,… crude and unsettling, undoing whatever hospitality the front of the billboard had offered. "THE MURDER CAPITAL OF THE WORLD"

I turned back in my seat, wondering if mom had possibly seen it. No, she hadn't, she carried on with a broad smile, or if she had seen it, it didn't faze her as it had me. She looked in the rearview mirror and saw the uneasy look on my face. "You alright hun?" she quizzed. I forced a half smile looking at her also through the mirror. "Yeah,… yeah mom. Maybe we could turn on some music though huh?" I asked exhaling a breath.

She shrugged her shoulders and pressed the nob to the radio. Instantly the car was flooded with a verity of music as my mom tried to locate Santa Carla's local station. I sank back in my seat trying to convince myself that the sign was nothing but an immature prank and that my stomach had dropped for nothing. I had wished she would have left it on the station which was playing I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time by the Andrew Sisters, instead mom flipped to Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics; a song which aptly fit the scene unfolding outside my window.

**_Sweet dreams are made of this_**

**_ Who am I to disagree_**

**_ I travel the world and the seven seas _**

**_Everybody's looking for something_**

The people were foreign, more foreign than I could have even imagined…

**_Some of them want to use you_**

**_ Some of them want to get used by you_**

**_Some of them want to abuse you_**

**_Some of them want to be abused_**

Bodies half-dressed and dripping with perspiration from being in the constant sun; the people came in swarms. Strange people, running with an adult in a shopping carts, drugs, homelessness and violence all on display. Dark clothes, dark makeup, dark actions, it was filled with darkness even in the blaze of day. I had never thought my town conservative, never thought of my town being stuffy, or uncool, or lame, or un-tubular or whatever you wanted to brand it as. As I said before we had our share of cliques and I had been friends or acquaintances with a member or two from each group; but none of our hometown "punks" were as bizarre as this, or better still I myself was the bizarre one.

As we got closer to the beach we could see sun-bronzed surfers and a few families scattered on the streets which set my mind at ease a little. A group of surfers waved at me while the car was at a red light, while holding their boards calling out. "Hey dudette! Lookin narley!"

I was able to smile and return the wave before the car was rolling again.

"See Mia." Mom announced as if reading my mind. "Maybe it won't be so bad."

I nodded. And that's when it caught my eye, a towering Farris wheel? A roller-coaster? Had we at last moved to a place with other sources of entertainment besides a small roller-rink, a dinky shopping outlet and an old, grody movie theater?

I glanced to see if mom had spotted it too. She just looked on absentmindedly over her sunglasses out at the other side of the street. "Oh look honey, that place has a help wanted sign!"

Of course, I had forgotten that I was an adult in my mother's eyes now, there was no way I could go to that place with the rides before I got a job, not even on the money I had received as graduation gifts. I knew my mom would lecture me on my "priorities" if I did, and so I just let it pass by my window, as a fleeting thought,… until another day.


	4. Chapter 4 Settling in

The house was normal enough, consisting of; 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and living-room. To everyone's greatest relief there was nothing really wrong with it except for a few miner cosmetic details, which could be fixed with a touch of paint and furniture.

It was a quaint street too, if you could call it a street. The house; framed by trees and somewhat secluded was set in a more scenic part of Santa Carla, our backyard was mostly forest with no real fence to define where our yard ended and our neighbor's yard began. Strangely enough we only had one neighbor,… and I was going to meet him very soon.

I had decided to take the smallest of the 4 rooms since I had the least amount of stuff, a few posters, my vanity, a couple knickknacks and my clothes.

I took a shower, having decided I was somewhat grody from having slept outside the night before. Brushing out my wet tresses before my vanity-mirror I began to plan out what would go where in my head, knowing that in the end mom would just end up rearranging my things anyway.

**_(Fame) I'm gonna live forever_**

**_ I'm gonna learn how to fly (High)_**

**_ I feel it coming together_**

**_ People will see me and cry_**

**_ (Fame) I'm gonna make it to heaven_**

**_ Light up the sky like a flame_**

**_ (Fame) I'm gonna live forever_**

**_ Baby, remember my name_**

Through the rumble of music travelling through my speakers I could make out the ring of the doorbell and the unmistakable voice of my mom calling. "Mia could you get that?"

"Yeah! Just a sec!" I answered turning the nob on my stereo just low enough so it wasn't blaring, yet still loud enough I could still hear it faintly downstairs.

Taking the steps two at a time I continued to towel-dry my hair, even as I opened the door. "Hello?"

"Well hello there."

He was a man in his late 40s, early 50s. He had a kindness to his round face with laugh-lines gathered at the corners of his lips and crows-feet crinkled at the corners of his olive-shaped, brown eyes from under his glasses. Russet hair slicked back neatly, a crocked yet welcoming smile playing on his thin lips.

I smiled back with politeness. "May I help you?" I inquired.

He looked down at the cookie-sheet covered with foil in his hands then looked back up at me with that slightly off putting smile. "I hope I'm not intruding." He stated nervously "I'm your next door neighbor Max…. I would have come tomorrow but I'm afraid I'm out most of the day, most days of the week."

I opened the front door all the way to invite him in. "Oh no not at all." I assured. "Please come in." all at once he seemed slightly taken aback. "Such impeccable manors, thank you,…miss?" he raised his eyebrows to indicate that he was searching for my name.

"Mia, Mia Hathorn." I held out my hand. Max shifted the cookie-sheet to balance on his left hand and shook my hand with his free hand.

"Mia." He mused rolling my name around in his head. "What an unusual name." he glanced down at the sheet again. "I hope you don't mind." He began. "I took the liberty of making you guys' dinner as a house warming gift,…" he paused. "I mean I don't imagine you have had a chance to get anything, with all the unpacking."

I took the tray from him with gratitude and headed towards the kitchen, on instinct Max followed me making polite small talk on the house.

Upon entering my mom turned her head from the light-fixtures she had been putting up on the hanging light over the table.

"Mom this is Max." I announced sliding the food onto the counter. "He made us some food."

Max stepped to the table and reached a hand up towards mom, with a grin she took it with a firm shake. "Mary Hathorn."

"Charmed." He nodded. "I hope you guys like ribs."

Mom wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand and jumped from table to chair and finally to the floor. Mom was a very attractive woman with a European face and short dirty-blonde hair. Her lips were small and naturally pink and her chin was pointed perfectly, her hazel eyes sparkled under her flawless eyebrows. Many people commented and said she looked like an older, more high in version of Farrah Fawcett, which was of course impossible to live up to.

My mom and Max began a in general conversation and soon Max was sat at our table joining in eating the ribs he had brought.


	5. Chapter 5 The boys

Oh Max this is so good." Mom said rolling her eyes, taking in the flavor as if it was the first thing she had eaten in days, I nodded in agreement.

"Thank you! Its all in the seasoning, its my own secret rub."

My grandmother's eyes lit up, seeing a chance to snag another recipe for her collection. The conversation was simple; exchanges of origins and pasts, weather and comments on President Reagan, nothing horridly exciting, yet it was still topics I could add to with little trouble.

In the middle of a conversation on the hippie movement of the 1960s there was scratching and muffled whimpers at the sliding glass door.

"Ugh Mia, its seems I left Cooper outside can you let him in?"

I did as she asked and opened the door. "C'mon Cooper." I called in a semi-higher pitched voice, Cooper took one glance at Max and stared up at me as if I was crazy, not budging from his spot on the porch step.

"Cooper, come on!" I stated more firmly, after the third attempt to get him in the house, I gave up shutting the door again with a shrug.

"Can I get anyone anything while I'm up?" I asked striding by the counter.

"No thank you honey." Mom replied followed by grandma.

Intrigue shown on our neighbor's face again and he unintentionally pointed a rib covered fork at me; he looked to my mom. "Mary I must say, you have raise Mia to have incredible manors and conversation skills, hard to find in kids her age.".

Another comment on my manors? I was beginning wonder about the teenagers here and what mannerisms they had compared to me.

"Do you have any children Max?" my grandmother questioned dabbing the corners of her lips with a napkin.

Max nodded. "Four boys actually." Then turning to me. "Around your age Mia." For some reason my face flushed with heat, I looked down at my plate as my mom continued with a laugh. "No girls?"

He shook his head. "No, unfortunately I was never blessed with a daughter." Max paused, taking in a breath. "I always thought it would be good for my boys to have a little sister to protect. It might give them a sense of responsibility and the means to calm down a little."

"Well, we would love to meet them." Mom stated.

"Oh yes. Sadly, its nearly impossible to tear them from the boardwalk or their man-cave."

"The boardwalk?" I questioned with a heightened curiosity.

"Yes, you know the place with the rides when you first drive in."

"So that's what its called!" my mom glared at me at my childish outburst.

I lowered my eyes again but all the while I felt Max's eyes on me, almost burning me, his final words on his boys were this.

"I think you would be good for my boys,.. Mia."

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**the story will pick up i promise**


	6. Chapter 6 Painted heart

We had been in Santa Carla two weeks when I got my job at Toni's Bar and Grill. Toni, the manager; had been through waitress after waitress, all be it because of their attitude about the not so glamorous job and the hours of the night shifts. This was surprising being as finding a legal job in Santa Carla was like finding a needle in a hay stack.

Toni was hesitant to higher another teenager; but he said during my interview that I looked like I had promise.

Toni was a heavier set Italian man with the works; greasy black curls, oily tan skin and a thick mustache resting above his lip.

If you had the privilege of working for Toni, you were a part of a family. I had made two friends at Toni's. Flora; a punk girl who tended bar, at first glance Flora scared me with her black lips and various piercings on her pale face,…not to mention her tattooed fiancé named Killer who came in for a drink and a make-out session in the alley every Thursday, but underneath the ripped clothing, the fish-nets and her spiked bleach blonde hair, she was a saint,… and my best friend.

And then,… there was Cadence. Cadence, the gorgeous busboy from England, who was a surfer in his spear time. Cadence, with wavy, sandy curls and the totally beautiful dark green eyes.

Cadence was 22 years old; he had moved to Santa Carla two years before I had; hoping that California would hold better opportunities for college, not to mention better waves to surf. When I was around him I was 12 again; my heart fluttering when he neared me and my chest tightening when he spoke to me, which was often. When it came to dividing my tips Cadence and Flora protested insisting that I had given them too much.

It was Friday, my day off.

The sun beat down and yet the ocean provided an airy, cool breeze. The sky was a cloudless blue holding the smell of sea salt; I had thought it to be an ideal time to make my first entrance onto the boardwalk, a task that I had been long awaiting.

It was nearly empty. I walked along steadily looking down the row of shops and scattered carnival games, seeing that the rides were still a little ways away.

If one stood on the boardwalk alone one would think that the expanse of faded wooden boards would go on forever; much like the notorious, yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz, it could lead you to wonders or dangers. As I would later come to discover Santa Carla was a mystery and the boardwalk with her rolling, glimmering, blue ocean was the heart of it.

At last I came out of the tunnel-like shopping center part of the boardwalk and stepped into bright the sun where the rides began. I folded my arms over my ivory, button down, sundress with the pink and gold roses imbedded in the pattern. The crinoline swooshed a few inches above my knees and I pulled gingerly at the capped sleeves as I walked.

I had passed the first two rides and went straight to the ride that had caught my eye on that first day, the roller coaster. By mistake I had gone to the exit and not the entrance of the ride, passing by a face-painting stand whose owner was hidden behind a magazine. Seeing that it was the exit I frowned and went back to back trace my steps to see where I had gone astray.

"Mia?" that familiar English accent rang sweetly in my ear, I spun on my heel in surprise as he jumped down from the face-painting chair and approached me, my face flushing with each step he took.

"Cadence?" I laughed. "What on earth are you doing here?"

He ran a hand through his blonde curls, his tan muscles flexing as he did so. "I might like, ask you the same thing."

"I'm exploring." I smiled tilting my head out of the sunlight and into his shadow. He flashed me his white teeth in a returned half smile. "Well you picked the wrong time to explore." He began. "The boardwalk is only truly alive at night, only families and tourist come during the day,…that's why I'm working." Cadence then jerked his head back towards the face painting stand. I must have corked my lips and raised my eyebrows in some way because he began to chuckle.

"Hey I have to pay for college somehow, even if it does mean working two totally lame jobs."

I put my hand out quickly and shook my head, praying that I hadn't offended him past the point of no return. "Oh no!" I cried. "I think face painting is totally tubular!"

Looking into his eyes my heart began to flutter as it always did. He nodded pausing for only a moment, rubbing the perspiration from the back of his neck. "I'm glad you came exploring, it gave me a chance to see you!"

I felt my face become a rose red at this,… at his accent.

"In fact, I think it would be totally righteous if you were, like, to come here with me tonight!"

The words couldn't have come out of my mouth quick enough. "Yes! I would love to! What time?" I rambled.

"Narley!" Cadence exclaimed. "8:30?"

"Totally!" I replied swinging my arms childishly.

"Bitchin! See you tonight" he smiled again turning back to his station.

I began to walk away, only to get an idea in mid-step. With a smirk playing on my lips I dug into my wallet for a five-dollar bill and marched back towards Cadence. I sat myself down in the Hollywood-style folding chair and smiled, plopping the five dollars on the cart before him, swinging my legs coyly. He looked to the cash, then to me, then to the cash again, puzzled. I giggled. "Its for a worthy cause isn't it?"

At this he beamed brighter than any light.

"I would like…"

"Oh no!" he intervened retrieving his supplies and paints. "You must let me surprise you!" he gently tucked a strand of my otherwise pulled up brown hair behind my ear and I closed my eyes, basking in the sweet touch.

After a minute or so of feeling the cool paint glide across my cheek, he was finished.

Cadence refused to show me in the hand-mirror what he had painted on my face, insisting with a cocky grin that I go home and look in private.

I did as he asked, walking home only to stop before a shop window to behold my reflection and see a pink heart was affectionately imprinted on my cheek with the black lettering of M + C with a question mark placed perfectly in the middle.

I touched my cheek and smiled, thinking that this was better than any kiss could possibly ever be.

* * *

**now the boys come in**


	7. Chapter 7 Hell on wheels

It was a quick walk from our backyard/forest to downtown Santa Carla which was only a block and a half from the boardwalk.

The array of colorful bangles that decorated my left wrist jingled as I walked. I knew I was 15 minutes late because of the changing and re-changing of my clothes and the aggravating chore of fluffing and curling my hair until I could get the sides to wing out to my liking. In the end I had decided to just re-put on the dress I had worn earlier with a short light denim wash jacket thrown over it. I was just an average looking girl; nothing to defining about my face; pert nose, almond shaped eyes framed by dark eyebrows, fuller lips and a rounded face that came to a point,…but I had confidence in my stare, or so I was informed.

Rounding the final corner it towered over me almost intimidatingly; with its twinkling lights, excited screams, rides moving with a mechanically fastness that it hadn't had in the daylight. Poison's Nothing but a Good Time zinging through the air with a cosmic reaction of head-banging and dancing even in the long line of people just waiting to get in. I smiled never knowing a situation with such fantastic anticipation and wildness.

When I had gotten to the front of the line I had expected to see Cadence possibly waiting for me but he was nowhere to be seen. I shrugged and bought my ticket anyway figuring that it would be smarter to wait for him inside if he wasn't here yet, hoping that if he was here he had the same idea.

There was a wave a people, it was nearly impossible to walk without brushing against another person, sometimes one had to even walk sideways to get through, there was nowhere to stop and sit to wait, or even the means to get to the railing of the shopping-center stretch of boardwalk to even see if a table was empty, you just had to keep moving, or get trampled.

At last I had gotten to the opened part of the boardwalk where people could go their separate ways, either down the wooden steps to the beach where bonfires, drinking and late night surfing took place, or straight on to the rides and games. I debated inwardly on whether to go down the steps to see if Cadence might be one of the daring surfers in the dark, but decided against it.

Noticing that the laces to my boots had come undone I slipped off to where I was out of the way placing my foot in between the railing and bent down to re-lace my shoe with a sign. After a moments concentration on the brown laces, the faintest twinkling of silver glistening a few feet away caught my eye.

**Deep in my heart - there's a fire - a burning heart**

**Deep in my heart - there's desire - for a start**

**I'm dying in emotion**

**It's my world in fantasy**

**I'm living in my, living in my dreams**

I turned my head to inspect, to my disbelief the sliver glint belonged to the spokes of rubber-tires. I followed the spokes my inquisitive eye tracing along a perfectly welded motorcycle from and pausing again at the worn-out knees of black Levi's.

**You're my heart, you're my soul**

**I'll keep it shining everywhere I go**

**You're my heart, you're my soul**

**I'll be holding you forever**

**Stay with you together**

Slowly I began to straighten from my crouched state; my eyes now traveling unwillingly up the pant legs, carelessly past the bare female legs that were seated on the Levi covered lap, upward to the hem of a faded black T-shirt, to the gleaming buttons and hanging badge just under the labels of a black trench coat and then our eyes came into contact.

**Your my heart, you're my soul**

**Yeah, I'm feeling that our love will grow**

**You're my heart, you're my soul**

**That's the only thing I really know**

The moment was intense. His stubble-covered chin tucked downward shadowing the unwavering, icy blueness of his stare, his curved lips set in a smirk that was both questioning and daring, his arched dark blonde eyebrows only enhanced this. His sharp cheek bones and angled nose giving him even more of an air of mystery and danger. He paid no attention to the skimpily dressed red—haired beauty that decorated his lap, her head thrown back in infectious laughter.

I racked my fingers through my hair never breaking our eye content, my pulse quickening and breathing becoming mildly shallow. My body coursed, with feelings, sensations I had never known even as I looked at the others with him. The eldest, long raven hair framing his intriguing dark features, his muscular chest only slightly hidden by a black jacket and nothing more. Seductive, brown eyes lined with blackened lashes.

The youngest having a baby-faced charm, colorful attire and tight honeyed curls in a mullet. And then there was the blonde with untamable hair and laughing eyes.

Yet no matter where I looked our eyes always seemed to return to a violent stare. What was it? This horrible pull, this urge not to pull my eyes away from those cold, piercing, blue ogles. This invisible force telling me that I belong with them, in place of the red-head, or any of the other girls with them. Was it fear? Fascination? I felt my lips part with a breath.

** Let's close the door and relieve my burning heart**

**Feeling alright come on open up your heart**

**Keep the candles burning**

**Let your body melt in mine**

**I'm living in my, living in my dreams**

I was so drawn to them. They were bad,…he was bad and my heart, soul and body knew it. I continued to stare, my breath caught as the leader's smirk became widen until it transformed into a dark laugh.

Out of nowhere my eyes were shield by darkness. "Guess who!" a cheerful voice laughed in my ear. I turned to him, the moment our eyes met I felt a sense of safety wash over me; like walking out of a room filled with black smoke.

"Cadence!" I beamed.

He flashed me that dazzling smile and pulled me into a one-armed sideways hug, leaving his arm draped around my shoulder. "You didn't think I'd flack out on you, did you?"

I shook my head looking up into his tan features, the twinkling lights made his eyes even warmer, easier to love,… and be loved by.

"Well lets have fun than!"

We did just that, yet everywhere I turned they were there and even when they were not seen I could feel their dark presents…like a vise, especially when Cadence had kissed me on the Farris wheel, I felt there laughter like dark a cloud I couldn't escape from.


	8. Chapter 8 Meeting the family

**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT MORE 3**

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'How far do you think we'll go?"

I sat up from the soft grass of our forest, no longing looking at the out-coming stars blinking at us through canopied treetops, but directly down at Cadence who was still relaxing, one knee bent, hands behind his head. I skewed my lips in a question hoping I had misconceived his meaning. He opened his eyes and laughed sitting up.

"Don't be grody!" he chuckled trucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I mean in the relationship."

I breathed resting back down on a bent elbow, stars in my eyes. It had been two weeks of me dating Cadence. Two weeks of blissful puppy love that mingled with child-like innocence even though we were both on the brink of interring the adult world, Cadence more so than I. Two weeks of promising each other the moon, the sun, the stars and forever as young lovers often did. Forgetting how quickly the teenaged version of forever can end and how easy it is to get carried away on the wings of whim on a moonlit night such as that which we sat under, basking ever in the presents of one another. But we were happy and that's all that mattered.

"Children, dinner!" My mom called from the kitchen sliding-glass door, Cooper excitingly waiting at here heel.

Cadence leaped to his feet and pulled me to mine with a chortle. "C'mon last one inside is a stoned chimp!" at this we raced through my forest laughing, he got to the door first and scooped Cooper up in his arms as I stood grasping the doorframe panting. "Well Coops looks like your mummy is a stoned chimp!" he joked making Cooper wave his paw at me, Cooper all the while craning his head to lick his face.

I lunged forward playfully. "You're a stoned iguana!" I retorted. "Freaking Englishmen!"

"Elementary my dear Hathorn! But I'm YOUR stoned iguana!" he gave an overblown bow with one arm and impishly I lunged again, swiftly he dropped Cooper and took my arm, twisting my arm behind my back resulting in a frantic array of whimpers and giggles and wild squeals. "Say it! Say I'm your stoned iguana!" he ordered with underlying laughter. I still giggled, franticly shaking my head. "Say it!"

"Getting a little rough with the lady, don't you think?"

We both stopped abruptly and turned our heads toward the kitchen door.

It was Max. He adjusted his glasses with a disdainful look lighting his eyes, Cadence stepped away from me slowly. Max gave a lippy smile. "Hello Mia!" he greeted then turning a disapproving glance to Cadence. "And this young man is?"

"Cadence." I sighed stepping closer to my boyfriend. "Cadence this is Max our next door neighbor Max, Max this is my boyfriend Cadence."

Cadence of course held out his hand politely giving his usual greeting of. "Ello Mate."

Max merely sniffed the air and turned back to me and walked forth towards me, revealing a red leach and Tupperware in one hand, I followed the leach down to what seemed to be an all-white German Shepard.

"Ah bitchin dog mate." Cadence said holding his hand out for the dog to sniff inching closer. To our horror the dog snarled and growled and snapped resulting in Cadence jumping back.

"THORN NO!" Max warned pulling back on the leach. "I'm sorry, he only likes certain people."

At length the dog then whimpering promptly came to my side and sat at my heel staring up at me. Max gave me a look of assurance and hesitantly I lifted my hand to the k9's nose, he licked affectionately and I bent down petting him as his tail thumped away. In this act I found a feel myself shiver, how the dog had snapped at Cadence and then to have him come to me like this, his demeanor paranormally changing. Cooper had hidden upstairs by this point.

Then Max's voice penetrated my thoughts.

"I was in the neighborhood and I decided to drop off your grandmother's Tupperware from the banana bread she brought over last night."

Of course… for the duration of our stay in Santa Carla from that first night when he had taken such an interest in me and my mannerisms, Max and my grandmother had literally become the stereotypical suburban neighbors who know every little detail about each other's plans and families and who gossip more than reporters of sleazy gossip magazines do. Max was over every other night to indulge in homemade desserts and reruns of the Lawrence Whelk show; lucky my job kept me out most nights so my conversations were brief and filled with courteous small talk on my day at work.

"So what time is dinner Mia dear? I assume your young man will be joining us." Max glided past me thus informing me that he had took it upon himself to save me the trouble of inviting him to dine with us,… which in all honesty,… I was not going to do.

One of a girls' most awkward and terrifying moments is that first boyfriend meeting parents for the first time dinners. The eye becomes keener and sense heighten as you look from face to face seeing if the waters are calm and pray that it stays that way. I thought this task would have been easier with only a workaholic mother, an ever nostalgic grandma and a nervous boyfriend; but with an inquisitive, impulsive, off-putting neighbor unwelcomingly assuming the role of overbearing father thrown into the mix, the task was nearly impossible.

I awkwardly scraped my fork against my plate studying Cadence as he went on to tell about his family back in England and how he practically hitched hiked to California with nothing but the close on his back, a surfboard, a dream and his guitar.

I watched as my grandma and mom nodded with opened, welcome smiles. They liked him because he was good and good for me. A young man with hopes for a bright future and the guts to seize any opportunity thrown his way be it golden or copper. He worked, wanted to work and liked working which pleased my mother greatly. And his old fashioned values won over grandmother instantly. Yet our neighbor was not as pleased and made it painfully obvious.

"So Cadence…" Max began looking over the frames of his glasses. "22 years old. Do you always tend to date girls still in their teens or…?"

"No, no." Cadence protested, shifting uncomfortably. "Mia is my first girlfriend actually."

"Is that so?" Max tested.

"Yes, she just had that special quality I was looking for." Taking my hand, almost as if to except Max's challenge. My grandma seeing this quickly changed the subject.

"So where was your guy's first date again?"

Cadence's darkened look now became bright again. "On the boardwalk which I can't get her to go back to."

"Why not Mia?" mom questioned and I felt my face flush, I dropped my eyes to my plate. "Its nothing, I just feel uncomfortable in big crowds after dark, that's all."

"Smart girl!" Max smiled approvingly.

I felt Cadence's raised eyebrow as he now almost glared at my profile, silently catching my bluff. He turned to my family and Max again. "She won't go back because these idiots on motorcycles were staring at her and it made her all getchy." I silently glared up at him myself and slowly shook my head warningly knowing what was to come.

"Mia I told you those guys are jerks, all talk and no game,…or brains for that matter. They're just a bunch of horny, pathetic freaks that will never go anywhere in life."

At this we heard the dropping of silver against china and our eyes cast towards Max, whom was breathing heavily through his nostrils, eyes practically burning.

"I think that's enough teenage bashing for tonight." My mom sighed.

I rose from my seat and retrieved my wash coat from the coat hanger, with an apologetic glance around the table. I knew Cadence was going to spew at the mouth once he got started on the topic oF those boys, some past confrontation with them that he refused to tell me about made him hate them with a passion, although I did not know why.

I was at his side again, telling him that we needed to get to work, he proceeded to remind me that we still had 25 minutes and I then informed him that I wanted to walk to work since it was a beautiful night (wanting to get out of there and away from raging Max ASAP); knowing full well that I needed to have a long talk with him, and owed a future apology to Max.

So apologizing one last time for cutting dinner short, we set off.


	9. Chapter 9 Toni's bar

"You shouldn't have done that Cadence." I lectured as leaves and twigs snapped beneath my feet. "It was totally out of line."

Cadence shrugged tucking his hands into his red and white leather jacket as we exited the forest and interred downtown Santa Carla, cars zooming past the sidewalk, a symphony of horns and barking dogs following. "Yeah, I know I know! Stupid move on my part, but you know how I get."

The truth was I did know how he got. Being a gentleman did not take away from the fact that Cadence had a short fuse, with a large atomic bomb attached to it. He would get mad at the littlest things and most of the time it was something trivial such as his friends bragging about knowing more about surfing or playing the guitar than he did; I would always try to fain interest and repulsion at this just to calm him down and to follow the couples rule of "if I hate someone, you hate them too".

I sighed and continued on at his side.

"What did they do to piss you off so bad anyway?" I asked with a sideways glance.

He sniffed the air. "They stole the backpack I was carrying when I first got to Santa Carla, hoping to find drugs, or alcohol, or something."

"And?" I pressed with an arched eyebrow.

He shook his head with confusion on his face. "And nothing. I set my backpack on a gas pump, to get out money to get something at the 7-eleven; they snatched my backpack and ride off."

"Did they hurt you?"

"No."

"Did you have pictures or your wallet in your backpack?"

"No, they were in my pocket."

I could not maintain my laughter, I stopped and faced him. "Gag me with a spoon!" I chortled. "So you've been pissed off at these boys and holding a grudge for three years over a stupid backpack and some clothes?"

"They were nice clothes!" he retorted. "And a man has pride Mia."

I could not contain my laughter; it seemed more than trivial and the way he now pouted reminded me of a little fourth grader who had his favorite Evel Knievel action figure taken from him, had gotten a new one but still pined for the old one. Poor terminology, yes… but.

"Its. Not. Funny. Mia." He hissed through gritted teeth.

"ok, ok, ok!" I assure, dying my laughter down. "I'm sorry."

We continued on in silence for a moment.

"Why do you think your neighbor dude was so mad?"

I shrugged. "Should be alright though, I'll take some snicker doodles to his video store tomorrow night and apologize for your actions."

"Do I get some?" he asked childishly.

"No." I laughed, shaking my head.

"Why not?"

"You act stupid, you don't get snicker doodles. Duh!"

He pushed my arm playfully, before we raced the rest of the way to Toni's with harmonious giggles raining from our lips.

- - -.

The walls of Toni's was a silver, piercing with waves of red, green and white neon lights that made its way around the entire bar area. It was what I called a "step up, step down" restaurant, because of the layout; because, at the far end of the bar there were for wooden steps leading up to the formal dining room where the older crowd enjoyed birthdays and other special events at wooden picnic tables by candlelight. In fact Toni's was becoming a hot spot for proposals and wedding rehearsal dinners.

Both sections of Toni's were like two separate worlds. The first world bright, full of the warmth of family, laughter and whimsical romance. The second world bursting with teenage fantasy, passion, loud music and dancing with a sort of edgy danger, little did I know but these two very different worlds that Toni had created in his establishment would soon become a strong reflection of my life,… but I'm skipping ahead.

We walked in and Cadence was immediately flagged down by Fernando and the other busboys in back, so giving me a quick kiss on the cheek he left me in the mass of people at the front door. As I tried to sashay through to get to the bar where I knew my apron would be waiting, Flora shockingly passed me with a tray and I caught her by the arm.

"Why aren't you tending bar?" I shouted over the thumping music. Wither she heard me or not I didn't know, but a smile of relief played on her black lips. "Oh Mia, sweet pea, thank god you showed early, we became swamped 15 minutes ago, we are short waitresses, so I stepped in."

"So who's tending bar?" I asked, shouting again.

"Toni and Killer!" she answered. "I told Killer to hold your apron. So he should have it!" she pointed towards the bald, tattooed phenomenon that was juggling tequila bottles as if he had been born to do the task. I thanked her and made my way over.

It did not surprise me that Killer was behind the bar. Like Flora, Rob "Killer" Magee was a teddy bear in the shell of a hard core punk, Toni loved him like his own son. Killer was originally the head bar-tender and Flora was assistant bar-tender,… they fell in love of course and Killer left Toni's to open a tattoo parlor, leaving his soon to be bride in the spot-light of one and only bar-tender, and boy let me tell you no two people could have been more fated to be together.

"SWEETIE-POP!" he yelled pulling me into his standard rib-crushing hug, I was like a sister to him and gladly so. "And how is the second sweetest little honey in Santa Carla?"

"Fine, Killer!" I laughed. "Flora said you had my apron?"

With a cocky smile he held it up at eye level. "Would I ever stare you wrong Mia Pia?"

I smirked tying on my apron. "Thanks Rob, you're a doll!" I kissed his cheek and went to get a tray and of course Toni was pacing franticly.

"Two wedding a-parties, a family reunion and a fulla bar. Santa Maria Bena Dento!" he mumbled in a heavy Italian accent. I shook my head with a laugh.

"Don't think we can handle it Tone?" I asked, he took me by the shoulders preparing for his normal pep talk.

"With you, a-Flora and a-Robbie tending a-bar-a, I know we can handle any-a-thing!" he smiled. "Now go out there, make-a with the smiles, make-a with the charm and knock-a them dead like you always a-do Bella Mia!"

I gave a grin and set off into the world of impatient customers.

**_ Tonight  
There'll be no darkness tonight  
Hold tight  
Let your love light shine bright_**

Listen to my heart  
And lay your body next to mine  
Let me fill your soul with all my dreams

"Miss, can you get our waiter please?" a male voice called from behind me.

"Oh of course!" I grinned, stupidly turning my head while still making my way to the 20 billion other tables in the bar that needed my attention, not to mention the zillion tables in the dining room that featured two wedding parties and a family with a baby who had broken a bowl of tomato soup on the floor, nights like this were overwhelming, and often I wondered if the other waitresses felt the same sense of being ever on fast forward.

With a clumsy misstep I was sent stumbling backwards from colliding with another being, the person was kind enough to grab me by the forearms before I completely fell on my ass, or worse, into another person creating a domino effect. "Whoa, you alright there chica?" a mellow, but comical voice asked.

I tried to brush myself off with a laugh. "Yeah, thanks I guess I just…." I looked up and my blood turned to ice.

It was one of 'them' the blonde with the untamable hair and mischief in his eyes to be exact. I stole a quick sidelong glance over, all of them, all of them were seating in the black leather booth.

**_You're a woman, I'm a man._**

**_ This is more than just a game._**

**_ I can make you feel so right._**

**_ Be my lady of the night._**

Our eyes connected, mine and the leader's. That burning chill running through my veins, every part of my body wanting,…screaming at me to close the gap between me and them, screaming at me to let go of all childish precaution and apprehensions and give in to the adult temptation brewing in the icy eyes of the bleach blonde. He gave a chuckle, low and wicked. "Better slow down, don't wanna miss whats right in front of you." Then lifting his bourbon to his lips.

I nodded stupidly, knees turning week at the certain rumble of his voice. "I'll do that." I replied quietly dropping my eyes and walking away.

For hours they stayed and again I felt their eyes on me everywhere I went,…no not 'their' eyes,… his eyes they had drank and stayed and drank and stayed, the three boys (the two young blondes especially) acted unruly like they had indeed been drinking, yelling and banging their heads to the music like everyone else. The man with the main of raven who had intrigued me almost as much as the leader when I first saw them on the boardwalk, seemed unaffected by the alcohol with the exception of flirting with their waitress Tawny.

But the leader, the leader seemed totally unfazed, not only by the alcohol but by all around him. His eyes trained on me darkly, never leaving me, like a wolf stalking its prayer. I felt scared…. Scared beyond explanation.

Even as I stood at the bar, writing "thank you" on some receipts he had me in a death grip, with those eyes of a ruthless hunter. Like I said I was scared, scared of the sense of overwhelming tyranny he seemed to hold over the room, scared of how his gaze (always on me) was unreadable, scared of his coolness that seemed to restrain him, scared that I was finding myself seduced by all this. Seduced by power, seduced by darkness, seduced by fear.

A hand fell on my shoulder and I gasped.

"Mia honey, are you ok?" Flora asked, black lips wincing in concern.

"Yeah, fine." I whispered, glancing nervously from the receipt to those blue ogles.

She touched my free hand and cried out. "Mia you're freezing, you're cold as death!" her hand then flew to my forehead and cheek. "You're all clammy too!"

"I'm fine, Flo." I assured using my nickname for her.

I looked back and almost within a blink the other three were gone,… leaving only 'him',… I truly felt sick then.

"On second thought Flo, could you tell Toni and Cade-Cadence I went home early. I-I'm not feeling well."

And grabbing my jacket I haste past the blonde, without a word.

* * *

**A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Emzy2k11 AND MRS. ACE MERRILL FOR THE BEAUTIFUL REVIEWS THEY ARE AWSOME!**

**PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT MORE OR HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT/FUTTURE CHAPTTERS 3**


	10. Chapter 10 Blood in the water

**please review**

* * *

It was one of those rare nights when I was allowed to take the boom-box into the bathroom and leave it next to the sink and listen to it while I showered, since I hadn't felt good the night before. I put in my new Modern Talking cassette. I walked over to the shower and turned both nobs before returning back to the boom-box, pressing the play button until I felt it give under my fingertips. Carefully I untied the light pink robe, letting it slide off my shoulders and pool at my feet.

Craning my neck to stretch it out, I let my hand unpin my hair and test the water before entering. The warmth of the water felt comforting and good against my skin, I let it wash all of the "sickness" from the night before off of me. We (my mom, grandma and I) had decided that it was the rapid change of weather from hot days to cool nights that made me queasy in the bar.

**_ Deep love is a burnin' fire stay_**

**_ 'cause then the flame grows higher babe_**

**_ Don't let him steal your heart_**

**_ It's easy easy_**

**_ Girl this game can't last forever why_**

**_ We cannot live together try_**

**_ Don't let him take your love from me_**

I got lost in the music, the hypnotic charm of their voices and the strange romance in each lyric. They were from Germany, so when I found their cassette tape in the record store next to Whitney Huston's new release I was pleased. I had been looking for something of theirs since I heard them that night on the boar,…oh dear god!... the realization hit me.

**_Stay 'cause this boy wants to gamble stay_**

**_ Love's more than he can handle girl_**

**_ Oh come on stay by me_**

**_ Forever ever_**

**_ Why does he go on pretendin' that_**

**_ His love is never ending babe_**

**_ Don't let him steal your love from me _**

Why, why did everything lead back to those boys? I wondered if in my psyche I remembered that Modern Talking was in the background when I saw them,…well that was dumb Mia, of course I knew why else would I do extensive research to find out who they were and go as far as singing the first two verses of "You're my heart, you're my soul" to Killer (who was an expert in music) just so he could tell me what the song was called, but did I do it because of them? Could a person become obsessed, or at least on the verge of obsession, or paranoia, or whatever without the mind consenting?

I shook my head, grabbing the razor and began absentmindedly gliding the blade over the curve of my leg, when there was a knock at the door making me jump.. "Mia, sweetie!" my grandmother's voice came through the door. "Ouch!" I cried as the blade sliced into the skin of my upper leg nearly leading all the way up to my thigh. "Son of a bitch…" I murmured as my grandmother knocked again. I hissed in pain as the blood came like a waterfall, making the shower floor nearly all red.

"Mia honey, your snicker doodles for Max are done, want me to pull them out?"

"Yeah,… yes please!" I called grabbing the wash cloth and pinning it to the missing skin.

"Are you ok?" she knocked once more.

"Yeah Grandma." I answered grabbing the robe. "Hey can you ask mom where we keep the gauze pads and medical tape?"

There was a long pause and then mom's voice intervened. "Sweetie." She said in that condescending voice. "We have Band-Aids under the sink."

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep the blood at bay. "Band-Aids aren't going to cover it mom."

She then bust through the door and gave a look of horror at the blood mess. "Good lord!" she cried. "What did you do?"

"Shaving." I answered.

"Here put your leg up on the toilet." She went under the sink and got the pads, the tape and the Neosporin.

"Mom I can do it!" I offered.

"Nonsense." She said pursing her lips while putting on her reading glasses. I didn't argue.

"Ouch!" I cried as the Neosporin oozed over the cut, mixing with my blood.

"There!" she finished tapping me up. "Good as new! I would wear a dress or skirt tonight." She cautioned. "Pants would only irritate it." She then left me.

**_ You're no good can't you see_**

**_ Brother Louie Louie Louie_**

**_ I'm in love set her free_**

**_ Oh she's only lookin' to me_**

**_ Only love breaks her heart_**

**_ Brother Louie Louie Louie_**

**_ Only love's paradise_**

**_ Oh she's only lookin' to me_**

**_Brother Louie Louie Louie_**

**_ Oh she's only lookin' to me_**

**_ Oh let it Louie_**

**_ She's under cover_**

**_ Brother Louie Louie Louie_**

**_ Oh doin' what he's doin'_**

**_ So leave it Louie_**

**_ 'cause I'm her lover_**

I pressed the off button to the boom-box until it gave way and reached for the door knob only to pause and whirl around, I swore I saw something in the tree outside the bathroom window, smirking with harsh yellow eyes boring into me,… wither I saw it or not I don't know, but I can swear,…on a bible,.. I heard a maniacal, dark snickering when I tentatively reached for the knob again.

A maniacal, dark snickering,… with a certain rumble to it.


	11. Chapter 11 Where's the stiff? said Paul

For the longest while I stared at it just across a small stretch of water, twinkling lights like dancing fireflies reflected in the waters ripples. Even from this distance I could hear the screams and music of the boardwalk. I walked up to the edge of the water and smiled. The water was truthful, like a mirror it only reflected what it saw and showed me what I needed to see; a small town girl with a Tupperware full of cookies, who was happy, or at least thought she was. Oh,…I did miss home. Yes I had adapted to Santa Carla, made friends, got a job and found the love of my life in Cadence, but,…

With a sigh I turned and gave a long dreaded look at the video store. "Well, best get it over with." I thought pursing my lips. I stepped into the store, my long yellow skirt swooshing over the halter. Von Jovi's face was on various TV screens as he belted out "Livin on a Prayer" effortlessly. I made my way to the front of the marble counter. The girl behind the counter made her way over from the guy she had been flirting with who was hidden behind a magazine rack. She was tall, dark and beautiful,…everything I wished I was. Her hips had a certain swing that I knew I couldn't mimic without falling on my face.

"We only rake cash." She giggled looking down at the cookies, I laughed also. "You must be Mia!"

I was stunned, how did she…? "Your grandma was in earlier, she said you might drop by with some cookies, hold on I'll get Max." and with that she walked to the back.

Feeling awkward just standing there I went to one of the towering shelves and skimmed over the VHSs with a curious eye. I stood on my tip-toe reaching for the movie Mask starring Cher and two other main actors whose names slip my mind at the moment. The movie fell along with two others. I swore under my breath as I tried in vain to put them back. To my amazement a tan male hand took it from me, placing them back in there place, I turned my face and half gasped in horror at the raven hair and dark eyes smirking at me. I took backwards steps until I collided with someone, another turn and I was face to face with the wild haired blonde, he spoke. "Hey look Dwayne, its chica from the bar!"

The brunette chuckled smoothly. "Why, yes it is Paul."

I soon spun on my heel only to find the youngest blonde before me, they had trapped me and were now circling me like vultures around a dead animal, I struggled to keep my claustrophobia at bay.

"You got a name pretty mama?" the youngest snickered. I was now spinning to keep up with their circling.

"Mia." I said in a breath. "Mia Hathorn."

"Hathorn!" laughed the wild-haired blonde stopping abruptly nearly making the other two crash into him. "Bitchin' name! Tell us Hathorn, where's the stiff we always see you hanging around,… Hathorn." His overuse of my name made the others laugh.

"Stiff?" I quizzed nervously. "Oh you mean Cadence!" I realized, too caught up in the moment too defend my boyfriend as not being a stiff. The next sentence came flying from my lips without any warning. "He's surfing." I had not meant to be so candid with them. They laughed again.

Then I noticed,… there was only three of them. The bleach blonde,… the one who I thought was the leader was gone. My heart rate quickened. I did not know wither I felt safer or more in danger not knowing his whereabouts. Dare I ask? Dare I be so inquisitive?

"So you wanna hang with us?" asked the boy whose name was Marco. Before I could even answer or even think of an answer Max was at our side. With nothing more than a warning glance from Max the boys were at the door with a cocky stride before riding off into the moonlight.

Giving a nod of triumph Max turned to me. "Did they trouble you?" he asked, I shook my head, actually somewhat relieved to see him.

"Your boys?" I asked.

Max shook his head in fane disgust. "I lay no claim to them when they act like that." He stated, not denying or confirming my question. He adjusted his glasses and clapped his hands together. "What may I do for you my dear Mia? Looking for anything in particular?"

"umm." I tucked a stray hair behind my ear and retrieved my cookies from the counter, holding them out to Max. "I wanted to apologize for the way Cadence acted the other night." I explained. "he can get carried away sometimes."

Max's eye glistened with gratitude as he took the Tupperware from me. "Now wasn't that sweet!" he cooed. "Well apology excepted, and I must apologize too, but you see I cant abide by someone speaking ill behind someone else's back, no matter, who it is,…something I know you would never do."

I shook my head, agreeing with him whispering a soft no. he sighed and placed the cookies back on the counter. "However did your parents get so lucky? You truly are a wonder Miss Mia"

Upon turning back around his eyes grew large. "You're leg is bleeding!" he announced. Quickly I moved my skirt to see that the blood had seeped through my gauze pad and was now in a large crimson stain,…serves me right for wearing pastel yellow.

"Oh its nothing." I assured trying to cover the growing stain with my hand. "I did it in the showe-" the terrified look on his face made me pause in mid-sentence, he looked nervously back at the bead-curtain that led to the back of the store. If I would have looked carefully I would have seen the bleached blonde glaring at me through the beads with piercing blue eyes.

Max quickly adjusted his glasses again. "You'd better- you'd better go." He stammered. "Don't want that to get infected. "He said walking away. "I'll talk to you later."

I did not argue, folding my jacket over my arm, heading towards the door, overall weirded out and a little concerned with Max's sudden change in mood.

Once I was outside I turned only once to catch a glance of Max conversing with the bleached blonde whose whereabouts I was so concerned with earlier, a look of fear crossing Max's features. The bleach blonde, almost white haired teen cast a devilish, smirking look in my direction and I turned away, going home, never looking back.

* * *

_**Mia and David have a formal meeting in the next chapter i promise ;)**_

_**please review**_


	12. Chapter 12 Life Teacher

It had been a week since the events at the video store. Nothing major to report. Cadence and my relationship was at a standstill, the faster the due dates of applications for UC Santa Carla and UC Davis approached the less I saw of him. I had submitted my application for UC Santa Carla a week after we settled in. I had known that Cadence had submitted his application to UC Santa Carla for my sake and the sake of convenience, I knew that his dream college was Davis for its music program and I felt guilty for being one of the only ties that kept him in Santa Carla.

Yet even if he had asked me I couldn't move away, my family was here, my friends were here, everything I loved was here and Santa Carla had captivated me, making me its willing prisoner and slave, during that time I thought I was being selfish not to offer to move to Davis, but looking back I realize that it wasn't selfish at all,…but smart in the end.

It was a Tuesday night and Cadence had left early to pack for yet another overnight trip to Davis just to ogle at the campus. This left me to get off later than usual, adding up receipts and discussing an appropriate amount to leave Ike, Cadence's replacement busboy.

I stepped into the crisp night air pulling on my jacket over my ivory flowered dress, saying my final goodbyes for the night. Shivering, I studied the moon-bathed sidewalk as I walked I unknowingly past through a cloud of cigarette smoke.

"You're late."

I halted and turned at the rumbling voice, from his bike his piercing eyes met mine, and instantly my body heated and chilled all at once. I found my breath catching. For a moment I looked around in hopes that he was speaking to someone else. He only raised an eyebrow in anticipation of my answer.

"What do you mean?" I managed.

"you get off at 8:00,.. its 8:30." He took another long drag. My heart pounded, how did he know this? I began to turn away.

"Mia." He called calmly, like a master calling an old obedient dog.

I turned back to him. It was one of those instants where every fiber of my being told me to walk away and all I could do was stay. Wondering where the courage to suddenly talk to him had come from.

"You know my name?" I pressed. Seeing him against the dark velveteen sky made his pale skin and bleached white hair glow in a ghostly way, blue eyes like burning sapphires that looked right through me. It made him all the more dangerous, all the more alluring,…all the more irresistible.

"You met my boys remember?" he reminded blowing out another cloud of smoke. "The names David."

The name befuddled me, it didn't fit him and yet no other name could suit such a face. I tried to remain cool I could see my breath on the cold night air; as his eyes burned through my skin, as if I was transparent. He raised an eyebrow and spoke again. "Are you going to run away from me now, like you usually do?" he paused. "And don't say you have other plans, because I know the only plans you have is to walk home through that forest of yours, even though the uneven ground hurts your feet."

I stared in amazement at his knowledge and the way he put it out there so bluntly, tone unwavering.

"You've been following me?" I stated as a fact, yet with an underlying question in my tone.

"You're worth following." I felt my face flush, sensations that I had never before experienced pierced through every inch of me, he chuckled. He then got off his bike and approached me with slow steps.

**Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight**

**It must have been something you said**

**I just died in your arms tonight**

Soon he was before me, I stood in the shadow of his broad shoulders and trimmed physique, I felt like a lost child gazing up at him in total abandonment and wonder, in awe of our closeness and how my body responded to it quivering inwardly. The smell of cigarette smoke smelling different on him, almost enticing.

**I keep looking for something I can't get**

**Broken hearts lie all around me**

**And I don't see an easy way to get out of this**

**Her diary it sits on the bedside table**

**The curtains are closed, the cats in the cradle**

**Who would've thought that a boy like me could come to this**

"What are you doing?" I asked softly, he then took off his trench coat and draped it around me, leaving him only in a tight T-shirt and his riding gloves, I shivered at the masculine build of his arms, a blood vain visible on the porcelain skin of his right arm and a few more on his left. He brought his lips dangerously close to my ear, as if in a trance I closed my eyes in the ecstasy of his voice, parting my lips.

"Showing you what life is, Mia."

** Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight**

**It must've been something you said**

**I just died in your arms tonight**

**Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight**

**It must've been some kind of kiss**

**I should've walked away, I should've walked away**

Like some kind of eerie dream, I lost complete control of my body's actions as I was led by the hand to his bike, soon on the back of it with my arms around his tone waist. The engine roared as we sped away. Faintly in the back of my mind I could hear myself protest. It was going too fast, not the bike,.. but the world that bike past… it was too fast, too wild, too dangerous, one big blur of color and movement,… and I loved every heart racing moment of it. I clung to David as if my life depended on it,… and perhaps it did.

**It was a long hot night**

**She made it easy, she made it feel right**

**But now it's over the moment has gone**

**I followed my hands not my head, I knew I was wrong**

Within a flash we were at front of my house and I was able to catch my breath, secretly not ever wanting it to end. My senses returning to me, a pang of guilt and regret coursed through me as I got off his bike, I knew that getting on the back of a dangerous motorcycle with a strange man was something neither my friends nor family would be to hip on. I whispered a soft thank you handing David his coat back before I started up the pathway to my front door.

"Mia." David called and I turned, he was leant up against the handlebars of his bike with that smirk playing on his lips.

"Your lesson may be over for tonight,…but not forever." He paused, meeting my eyes directly. "I 'will' find you again, and it 'will' be soon."

And with that he roared off into the night, leaving me breathless, confused and both dreading and waiting for our next encounter.

* * *

**I'm pretty happy with this, i think i got David and Mia off to a good start while still staying in character. I'm really hope I'm conveying how Mia's relationship with David thus far has more adult feelings and curiousties then her puppy love with Cadence.**

**a shout out to my two reviwers :)**

**about the music, at the end of the story i will post the list of songs**

**please review and feel free to throw ideas out there for the next chapter**

**3**


	13. Chapter 13 The Two Davids

I had fully intended to tell Cadence the next morning about my run in with David, but when he had called Toni's to inform Toni and I that he had found a band to play with and was staying in Davis for a week to try them out I saw no point in telling him, thinking that I would never see David again.

I was wrong! I did see David again. Every night he would wait outside on his bike for me so he could drive me home at around 8:30 and by the third night I had even sat at the bar until 9:00 just to see if he would still be there, and he was, and each time he offered me a ride,... I couldn't say no.

Each time I got on the back of his motorcycle the thrill was new, like each time was the first. He would always find a new and longer rout to take me home on, each new rout increasingly more dangerous and exciting than the next. He was teaching me how to scream, how to laugh and how to live on the edge of danger all the while teaching me how to trust without overthinking the concept of trust. I did not think it was possible to have a wordless relationship,… friendship that could make feel so,… safe and have so much,…trust. Had any of my friends explained a situation like this to me I would have been confused and apprehensive and overall concerned.

But little did I know our friendship wouldn't be wordless for long.

It was a dark, rainy morning and the weatherman had promised Santa Carla no sign of the sun until the next day.

It was Wednesday so that meant I had the morning shift; which I thoroughly enjoyed because that was when the regular families and older couples and sometimes even mom and grandma would come in for brunch. I enjoyed this because the older people would like to build relationships with their waiter or waitress and talk to them and I was a people person.

"More Coffee Irene?" I asked the grandmotherly woman with a smile, she smiled back knowingly. "Yes please Mia."

The good thing about the formal dining room of Toni's was that it had a feel of a diner. Meaning that it had a breakfast nook and a window to pick up food at, so you never had to go directly into the kitchen unless it was dyer.

"Should I get Joe his orange juice or wait till he comes in?" I asked Irene from the counter as I poured her second cup of coffee. She waved her hand in dismissal. "Ah you know Joe, you pour him coffee he wants orange juice, you pour him orange juice he wants coffee. Always been that way." She sighed and shook her head in frustration. "Never get married Mia. Men are proven more hassle then good."

I giggled as I handed her the coffee mug and set down her pancakes. "I don't think they are."

"Well that's because your young and men are on their best behavior. They were that way with me too when I was your age."

I smiled and she patted my shoulder before I moved on to the next table.

"Hi welcome to Toni's!" I greeted smiling at the family before me. "My names Mia, can I start you all off with some drinks?"

"Hi!" said a little boy in the highchair next to me, reaching a tiny hand up in a wave, large green eyes boring in mine. I turned to him and grinned. "Well hello there sweetie!" I cooed.

The mother chuckled. "Forgive him if he's a little excited, its his birthday today."

The boy beamed at the mention of his birthday and I knelt down next to him with my hands clasp. "Is that so?" I asked, the boy nodded profusely. "And how old are you today?" I asked softly, unaware of the blue eyes watching me from tables away. The boy laughed and held up four tiny pink fingers and I gave an exaggerated gasp. "That many?! My goodness! Whats your name?"

"Tell her your name sweetheart." The father prodded at the boys shyness.

"David." The child blushed.

I laughed softly. "David, you know I have a friend named David too."

"You do?" the boy squealed in delight.

"Oh yes and he is very nice." If I would have been paying attention I would have heard a quiet masculine chuckle in the distance. "You know David I think I have something very special for you after you have your breakfast for your birthday."

The child beamed and bounced up and down in his highchair cheering. The mother thanked me for my kindness as I past her, touching my wrist.

"oh no problem!" I assured.

"That was sweet." Came a low voice from the table at the corner as I sauntered by it. I halted in mid-step. "David?" I whispered before turning to see that smirk. A blush swamped my cheeks, had he heard what I said,… about him being my friend and being nice? Not that it was exactly an insult, but I wouldn't have said anything about him if I knew he was in earshot.

He twiddled his thumbs a moment and then looked back up at me. "You're very good with kids, you know." He complimented before taking a sip of coffee.

"Thank you." I said quietly staring at my shoes. "It-it helps that I like them,… kids I mean."

He laughed as I met his gaze. "Why don't you finish up that table and join me awhile." He offered nodding his head towards the other David and his family.

And I did just that

Little David waved goodbye as his mother thanked me again and again for the free cupcake I gave him.

"Goodbye David!" I called popping my head out the door. "Happy birthday!"

I then closed the door and made my way over to the table in the corner where the other David, teenaged David was waiting. I slid into the wooden chair across from him and apologized for the wait.

"Its ok." He assured. "I took the liberty of ordering you a hot chocolate, I didn't know if you like coffee or not."

I shyly looked down at the red and white table cloth and blushed. "I like coffee fine, but hot chocolate is better,… thank you." I shifted a little uncomfortably, feeling his eyes on me. he broke the silence again.

"So how long have you been working this job?" he asked.

I looked up meeting his gaze and shook my head. "Not long, two-three weeks."

He nodded in approval. "Is it your first job?"

Again I shook my head. "I use to work in the local library in Silenus before we moved here, putting away books and stuff."

He smiled, not smirked but smiled. "I thought you were new here when I first saw you." He announced. "How long have you been in Santa Carla?"

I began to feel myself relax and I allowed myself not to look down anymore and make eye contact. "Almost a month, I really like it here."

David took a sip of coffee, and smacked his lips together. "Its an easy place to like, once you get accustomed to it and realize that things aren't always what they seem."

"Indeed!" I replied taking a sip of my hot chocolate, letting the liquid warm me, closing my eyes in enjoyment.

"You know, I got my start at the video store when I moved here with my grandpa." David stated, which peeked my interest.

"Max's video store?" I questioned with an arched eyebrow and David chuckled. "Is there any other video store in Santa Carla?"

I giggled. "Not that I know of, no!" then it hit me, a look of triumph crossing my face. "So that's how you know Max!" David looked amused at my sudden outburst. "I mean for a second there I thought you were one of Max's boys." I continued before taking another sip.

"Who says I'm not." David stated with bitterness lacing his tone.

"But you just said-"

"Maybe someday I will tell you the tragedy of me Mia." He interrupted. "But today is not that day."

I took in a gulp of air. "So where is your grandfather now?" I asked.

David looked away slightly and frowned. "He was murdered,... he was murdered a long time ago."

My heart sank for him, how awful he must have felt, how awful it must have been. I met his eyes with earnest sympathy. "I'm so sorry." I offered and David met my gaze.

From their David turned the conversation around into just a normal discussion between to acquaintances getting to know each other and I was happy. He seemed so easy to talk to, so normal. I got lost in the conversation and soon 20 minutes turned into an hour.

"How come I don't see you out in the daytime more often?" I asked resting my head on my hand. David raised an eyebrow and I smiled. "I mean we seem to cross paths so often and its always at night."

He snickered. "Santa Carla is a big town Mia." He started. "I imagine the places you go during the day and the places my boys and I go are very different." He finished evermore being mysterious.

"Where are your boys anyway? I never see you with them."

He smirked, getting up from his seat. "They're a sleep. But I imagine they'll be up reaping havoc on Santa Carla soon,…once they realize that it's raining."

"They like the rain?" I asked from my seat.

"They like the dark." He corrected with a sly twinkle in his eye. He went to the door only turning back once, his eyes meeting mine from across the room.

"You know its a shame you had to be Max's neighbor." He breathed. "You're a good kid,… Mia." The way his eyes lingered on me and the way he said my name in that moment sent terrific chills up and down my spine, leaving me no time to ponder his statement.

With a breath he turned away,… and left me to feel,… alone

* * *

**ok here it is**

**my thoughts are vampires can go out in the -day as long as theres no sun...idk tell me what you think**

**thank you for all the review 3**

**i hope you enjoyed **


	14. Chapter 14 Missing Poster

It had been two days and David continued to take me home at 8:30 every night. Oh free and how alive I felt on the back of his motorcycle, but I was begining to find it was no longer the motorcycle that captivated me,… it was David and his ability to talk aimlessly about nothing. Something that Cadence and I seemed to struggle with.

I could sit on the back of David's bike outside of my house or before we left Toni's and just chat with him without ever feeling like I was drowning looking for what next to say or playing 20 questions. Conversation just dripped from me to him and from him to me as easy as water from faucet to sink. We did not have deep, heavy or intense conversations; they were just normal and trivial.

I was beginning to find that the more Cadence and I spent every waking moment together during work, after work and on the phone,… the less and less we had to say to each other. Being together on a 24/7 basis left no mystery in our relationship. He knew everything about my day and I knew everything about his. I had hoped with the week apart that this would change,… but I still had four more days until I would be able to find out. But until then,… there would be another mystery to keep me occupied.

My grandmother had found a wallet in the street about two days after my discussion with David. I had told her I would take it with me to work sense in my arrogant teenage girl mind I thought anybody who was anyone went to Toni's. Luckily,…or rather unluckily to be proven later on they overruled that idea and they decided to take the wallet to the police station, I went with them.

It was a bright, almost hot, sunny day very contrasted from the rain I had faced with David, so I sported my white shorts trimed with red and matching camisole, standard wash jacket thrown on top, a very 80s fashion statement. I sat in the Mercedes-Benz fanning myself with my hand, hot leather sticking irritatingly to my thighs. With a frustrated sigh I yanked my hair back into the red scrunchy I had been using as a bracelet. It was taking too long. I had imagined that grandma and mom had found someone to talked to, it felt like an eternity sitting in a steamy car with no means to crank the air; I ran my hand through my hair one final time and exited the car from hell.

Tucking my hands into my pockets I entered the station. Cool air washed over my sticky, wet skin and I sighed in contentment. I slumped my shoulders and sat in one of the ugly bluish-grey arm chairs that you could find in any doctors office or hospital. I exhaled and closed my eyes resting my head against the wall, taking in the refreshing artificial breeze from the air-conditioner.

"Pardon me miss." A soft female voice stated calling me from my relaxation, I sat up straight and looked towards the front desk at the receptionist. "May I help you?"

"Oh no thanks." I smiled. "Just waiting for someone."

The receptionist nodded and went back about her business. I then got up from the set and walked over to the cluttered pin-board across the room. The way the missing posters had pinned one on top of another in arrays of colors made it look like there could be missing posters dated all the way to 1932. I read and began to shutter at each missing person.

Missing,

Ned Dancen

Age: 32

Height: 6'2

Weight: 133

Last seen: August 12th 1986

Missing,

Stewie Black

Age: 24

Height: 5'7

Weight: 153

Last seen: June 3rd 1984

Missing,

Jenny and Celeb Wazowski

Age: 15 and 12

Height: 5'1 and 4'6

Weight: 108 and 103

Last seen: September 18th 1987

I cringed, I did not dare read the descriptions, I couldn't bear to see what husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and children were missing these people. One missing poster in particular caught my eye. The corner of the sea-foam green paper was sticking out from under what seemed to be a billion other posters, it was the only poster as for as the eye could see of that color and it was my favorite color, so naturally I took interest.

"Do you mind if I unpin this?" I asked the receptionist with a sideways glance.

"Sure thing! We've been meaning to sort through them anyway, just leave them on the table when you're done."

"Ok thanks!" I smiled. I unpinned the posters only taking the sea-foam green one and leaving the others on the table as instructed.

I had read the poster before even looking at the picture.

Missing,

Davy Keats

Age: 18

Height: 6'2

Weight: 120

Last seen: October 28th 1980.

I at last looked at the photo and my eyes bugged out in horror. He was a Yuppie,… a Young Urban Professional. White dress-shirt (which was more than likely a Gucci knock-off) adorned broad shoulders trimmed with a bowtie and although the picture was only from the waste up the tops of slacks and a fine leather belt was seen, hair slicked back to perfection, cleanly shaven and baby-faced. It was a senior class photo, I could tell by the quality and the pose. But it was the distinct curve of the upper lip and strong jawline and gleaming eyes not yet dark butt mesmerizing all the same. It was impossible,…

"Mia?"

I gasped quickly tucking the poster in my pocket and spun on my heel.

"You ok honey?" mom asked. I smoothed my hair.

"Yeah mom, fine." I said. "Just got hot in the car that's all."

Mom smiled. "Well we can go now. Sorry it took so long I guess grandma and I just got caught up talking to officer Bill. C'mon lets get you out of this heat."

It made no sense! For the longest time I just stared at the poster, lying on my stomach on the bed. He looked nothing like David and yet the facial features were identical. David was darkness, daring and sexy, and this boy was ideal and angelic. The description had mentioned that the only family member missing him was a beloved grandfather and David's grandfather was murdered. Davy went missing in 1980 and was 18 years of age where as David was 18 here and now in 87. And Davy was missing,… and David was not.

I had tried every scenario in my head; maybe it was a family relation? Or some prissy, high-falutin looking doppelganger, but I realized the world didn't work that way,… it couldn't work that way.

There were too many differences to be possible and too many similarities to be coincidental.

I couldn't let this go! I needed to know,…I needed to know what connection if any that this missing boy,…this missing man had to the mysterious, seductive and very real man who drove me home every night and held my heart and body in some kind of sickeningly wonderful, horrifying captivity.

The Santa Carla library was old butt terribly significant to the town. It had been built in 1817 and had not been refurbished or touched since the grand opening on June 16th in 1820, meaning that the original books had remained along with the new books that got released with every passing year. Meaning, that the Santa Carla library literally had every book imaginable,… including old year books from the Santa Carla High School.

So far I had searched the 1974-1979 yearbooks from page to page, cover to cover to no avail. Now I stared down at yet another Stingray holding a football in a red and white uniform. Each stingray seemed to grow more detailed and vivid than the last with each yearbook cover I came across. The cover read in big black letters.

"Santa Carla Stingrays class of 1980"

"Please be in here." I chanted in a whisper as I caressed the hard cover of the yearbook, just praying that this Davy Keats hadn't gone to Yokel High (which was a town over) or been homeschooled or something untraceable like that.

With an intake of breath I cracked opened the book to a random page- and there he was- Davy Peter Keats-page 182.

"Yes!" I breathed in triumph, it was the same exactly photo.

Quickly I looked at the top photo of the rows pictures, remembering how in my yearbook we were always listed next to our Homeroom teacher and sure enough there she was,…Mrs. Sally Johnson, quickly I jotted the name down on a scrap of paper.

"Yes, thank you Mr. Johnson. Mhmm sorry to disturb you, bye." I hung up the phone with a loud clink and softly rested my head against the cool surface of the bar and groaned. You see, after going to the library, I went to Toni's to help Flora set up for the lunch shift, or at least that's what I had intended to do until this mess with Davy Keats showed up. Now here I was being of no help at all, going down the list of all the Sally Johnsons in the Santa Carla phonebook, hoping for some kind of foolish spark of success, when for all I knew the woman could have been dead, or didn't even live in the vicinity of Santa Carla anymore, again I was looking for a needle in a haystack.

"This was a freaking stupid idea." I told myself in a frustrated grunt. For the longest time I just stared at the entrance of the formal dining room with my head against the bar listening to the music, waiting for something,… anything to happen.

**You packed your things in a carpetbag**

** Left and never looking back**

** Rings on your fingers, paint on your toes**

** Music wherever you go**

** You don't fit in a small town world**

** But I feel you're the girl for me**

** Rings on your fingers, paint on your toes**

** You're leaving town where nobody knows**

"What are you doing Mia Pia?" Flora asked, tone laced with the usual sweetness, but I was not in the mood.

"Oh nothing." I sighed pulling my head up. "I was just looking for a teacher who worked at the high school here."

"Why?" she asked crinkling her pale nose and looking over my shoulder at the yellow pages, her brown eyes lit up. "Oh my God, Mrs. Johnson?"

**You can win if you want**

** If you want it, you will win**

** On your way you will see that life is more than fantasy**

** Take my hand, follow me**

** Oh, you've got a brand new friend for your life**

"You know her?" I asked sitting up straighter. Flora ran a hand through her bleached curls and pulled the phonebook closer.

"Oh yeah, she was my econ and English teacher Junior and Senior year, I loved her, she even wrote her number in my yearbook,… she goes by The Widow Johnson now,… if I see her number I'll remember it." Flora rambled running a black nail down the page. "Ah here it is 555 622-0907!"

I could have squealed for joy, I threw my arms around my best friend. "Oh Flora you're amazing, thank you!"

"Don't mention it!" she laughed.

With a shaky hand I dialed the number, standing from the stool in fear that I would fall off in shock and delight if it was indeed the right person. A woman answered.

"Hello Mrs. Sally Johnson?" I asked. "No-no-no-no I'm not selling anything." I assured quickly before she could hang up, literally throwing my arm out as if to physically stop her. "Are you by chance the Sally Johnson that use to teach economics and English at Santa Carla High?"

She answered yes, I half danced for joy at this.

"Do you recall ever having a student by the name of Davy Peter Keats in 1980?"

Another yes.

"Well, do you remember anything about him?"

Yet another yes! I pulled the phone away from my mouth and squealed to myself, jumping up and down like a small child on Christmas morning.

"Ok-ok-ok-ok!" I breathed running a hand through my hair to calm myself. "Um is there any chance I could meet you somewhere, sometime?"

Quickly I grabbed a napkin and pen writing down her every word.

**You can win if you want**

** If you want it you will win**

** Oh, come on, take a chance for a brand new wild romance**

** Take my hand for the night**

** And your feelings will be right, hold me tight**

_Tomorrow afternoon._

_12:30._

_130 Dilbert Street._

_The Widow Johnson…_

* * *

**i had some debates with this chapter, tell me what you think? should i keep it and roll with it or trash it go a differant rout? ideas are always welcomed :)**


	15. Chapter 15 Crimson Tea

"Hi, I'm Whitney Nicks? Lisa Abdul? Paula Huston? No."

I sighed waiting on the porch all the while mixing and matching names of female singers I knew to come up with an alias for when I met the Widow Johnson. I didn't want to give her my real name incase by some chance something went amiss.

"Cara Benatar? No!"

My cover was this; I was a young intern at the Santa Carla Post doing my first story for the newspaper based on how many people had gone missing in Santa Carla from 1980 to 1987. I realize now that, that cover was shitty but at the time I had given myself endless praise for what I had thought to be a plan well thought out.

The door finally opened. I was met with wildly curled auburn hair framing pouty lips and a doll-like face. "May I help you?" she asked.

I blushed nervously, shifting my feet. "Yes, um,… I'm,…Tiffany Martika,.. I uh called you yesterday about Davy Keats." I wanted to run! My senses caught up with me, it was a stupid idea. I realized that this wasn't me, that I was the same large-eyed innocent girl I always was,.. a girl who hardly knew anything about what she was doing or even trying to accomplish by playing Nancy Drew.

The woman smiled. "Please come in, I made tea."

That sickening feeling of panic filled the pit of my stomach as the realization beamed me that I had not thought everything all the way through. I had forgotten one of the most important details,.. that I lied about as well as I could walk on water. Not being able to lie may have been a redeeming quality for a saint, but for an inquisitive teenaged girl with about as much detective skills as Don Knots in Private Eyes it was terrifying.

"I must admit your phone call was strange." The Widow Johnson said over her shoulder as she glided like a queen through her quaint home painted in baby pink, trimmed in crisp white crown molding and decorated in charming animal figurines dating back to the 50s. I felt like I was in the house of a Barbie doll, a figurine hording, cat statue loving Barbie doll. "I mean not leaving your name and purpose and all." She now exited her home and interred her screened-in patio, sitting daintily at the white bistro set, holding out a delicate vintage tea cup with painted dark pink roses set against a light pink backdrop with gold lining the rim like an angel's halo and ivory lining the inside, the saucer beneath matching seamlessly. It was a tea-set that any little girl would be envious of.

I took it with a smile and sat down, thanking her. she sighed and waved a perfectly manicured hand towards her backyard. "Do you like my garden?" she asked.

I looked at the vibrant green grass, the trickling angel fountain and rainbows of flowers and was mesmerized. Aside from the ocean it was probably the most beautiful site I had ever seen in Santa Carla. It had every flower imaginable, including a pathway in the middle of the giant yard lined with blossom trees, one of my grandmother's favorites. The scent coming from each flower was so sweet it nearly gave me a headache, leaving me on some sort of beautiful high that I did not want to come down from.

"It was in ruins when I bought the house." She explained pouring the tea. "Completely dead. But it wasn't until after I retired that I concerned myself with it. Oh no, I was too busy just trying to keep the store bought flowers on my desk alive."

She paused taking a sip.

"its amazing isn't it? How we can find something already blooming and beautiful and give it our full heart and soul only to watch it fade away, instead of taking the time to look past something strange to us and putting work into it only to find something truly stunning and everlasting, don't you find Mia?"

I nearly fell out of my seat at the mention of my name. "How did you?"

The Widow Johnson chuckled. You're a very comely girl, I will give you that but you're a terrible liar and planner. Flora called me last night to make sure you got a hold of me."

I could have smacked myself in the forehead. Of course Flora would do that, she always looked out for people that way.

"Now!" the Widow Johnson said reclining back. "Why do you wish to know about Davy Keats?"

I blushed and pulled out the lost poster from my pocket. There was no point in lying now. "I found this." I breathed as she took the flyer. "It intrigued me and I wanted to know,…I wanted to know…." I couldn't bring myself to finish my sentence, I couldn't bring up David. If by some small chance it was him, I knew in my heart that he hadn't turned himself in for a reason. I knew in my heart if it was David he had wanted to be lost and stay lost for a reason. I couldn't risk determining what I had with David; he brought mystery, allusion and companionship to my life that I didn't want to lose.

She looked at the poster, nostalgia crossing her face.

"Who could forget Davy Keats, very handsome. I cannot blame you for being intrigued. He was a student that every teacher would want. He was an honorable student, a scholar and a gentlemen in every since. I was,… his English and Homeroom teacher when he first moved to Santa Carla, English was one of his strongest subjects." She shivered in delight. "Lord, could that boy write. His poems still give me chills,… and his persuasive essays! I swore he could have persuaded a dog it was a cat if he so pleased."

I nodded as she went on.

"Didn't really have many friends though, he was always picked on by this motorcycle gang, or at least that's what I heard."

"But what happened to him and his grandfather?" I pressed.

The Widow Johnson sighed and took another sip of tea, which was notably a scarlet red and what I could only assume to be a rose tea.

"Of Davy's personal life I know very little. I know he and his family had gone through some hard times and he had hitchhiked to get to Santa Carla in 1980 to get to his grandfathers house. I know that he worked at the video store for sometime and that after he disappeared his grandfather, who was very wealthy at the time was found in his house presumably mauled by a sort of animal." She sighed. "I know that Davy loved his grandfather very much. I'm afraid that's all I can offer you. I wish I could be of more help."

I gave a half smile and took a sip of the crimson tea; the flavor was metallic,…but sweet. Unlike anything I had ever tasted before. I hummed in delight before standing. "Well thanks for everything. It was very nice meeting you, you were very helpful." I said holding out my hand.

She took it with a surprisingly cold grip and said…

"Oh no, thank you."

* * *

**well here it is! tell me what you think, I imagine the widow johnson as an older bunadette peters. i have a few ideas for the next chapter but tell me what you want to happen next lol**

**please review**


	16. Chapter 16 When Harry Met Sally

"Hello is Cadence there?" I asked, phone pressed to my ear.

"Oy hold on." Instructed the man on the other line before pulling the phone away from his lips to yell. "Cady mate, its your old lady!" I listened as the phone was then exchanged to Cadence.

"Mum?" he said with apprehension as I imagined him running a hand through his hair.

I shook my head and laughed. "Guess again."

He was silent a moment. "OH MIA!" He cried in recognition. "Mia, Mia, Mia, hey babe, whats happenin?"

I sat back on the black stool giving Flora who was cleaning the bar a confirming smile to assure her I got a hold of him. How good it felt to hear his voice!

"You never called me back Monday night and I was getting worried." I explained.

"Ah man!" he sighed. "What day is it today?"

"Thursday."

"Man! Sorry baby, I love you."

I sighed, disappointed that was all he had to say to me.

He then started laughing. "Hey babe, I'll call you back, Squoosh is about to chug a whole bottle of tequila WHOOO!"

He hung up,

I frowned and hung up myself.

"What he say?" Flora asked.

"That Squoosh is about to chug a whole bottle of tequila"

"Squoosh?" she questioned crinkling her nose, I shook my head with a scowl. "Some dude in his new band I guess."

I sunk off the stool sadly, lately Cadence seemed so far away and I felt like I meant less and less to him. I put on my coat and started towards the door and Flora called out to me.

"Hey I haven't been available the past few nights cause Killer and I were doing stuff for the wedding, but he's working late at the tattoo parlor tonight,… last minute ear piercing ya know. I can take you home if you like."

I turned with a half-hearted smile, still hurt from the lack of words from my boyfriend. Yes, I admit the break apart had been nice so far, but I had at least expected him to call and check on me at least once or at least return my phone calls in a timely fashion.

"No thanks, I think I'll walk tonight." I sighed and left.

David was parked in his usual spot, smoking a cigarette and for some reason I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

"I think I'm walking home tonight." I told him.

"Why, so you can sit by the phone and wait."

I met his gaze, icy blue meeting dark hazel. "Were you in the restaurant listening?" I asked softly, he shook his head.

"I have a clear view of the window from here." He paused, holding his cigarette in between gloved fingers. "I could see your expression. After a while Mia you're like a bestselling book,… easy to read and impossible to put down."

I melted into his words, blushing and feeling like I had someone who at last understood me better than I understood them, or myself.

I shook my head and tucked my hands in my pockets. "I don't know, I just thought he'd make a little time for me while he was away, that's all."

"Maybe the problem isn't Cadence making time for you." David stated. "But you making time for yourself." He held out his hand to me. "Get on the bike, Mia."

His voice was demanding, but not harsh, I obeyed him slipping on the back of the bike, arms wrapped around his strong waste as we zoomed into the night.

"This isn't my home." I said bluntly looking over his shoulder at the boardwalk lights as David kicked the kickstand to his bike down and got off to stand beside the bike, lighting another cigarette.

"Now that you've stated the obvious." He grumbled, burning cigarette captive between his lips, he started to walk away.

"But this isn't my home." I respeated, David didn't stop and I had to run to meet his stride.

"You can walk home if you like. But I for one am going to have fun tonight and I would suggest you do the same."

He had taken me on every ride, even going as far as lifting me up onto a white carrousel horse and standing beside it as we circled. When it came time to lift me off, I felt a cold and absolute thrill as I slid down his strong body and was held momentarily in his arms, looking into his eyes and seeing him looking back, cherishing the friction.

I had never imagined being near to someone so blunt, arrogant and straight forward but in the best way imaginable, he made sure I knew I could be candid with him and he could be candid with me, and no judgment would pulse between us. He showed me a whole new way to look at adulthood; he made it so I wasn't scared of growing up anymore.

We exited the ride and began to walk away or so I thought. "That was fun." I laughed looking over to see that David was no longer beside me. I turned quickly at the sound of his infectious almost sinister laughter and ran to the red railing that divided the ride from the people. I giggled and gasped at the sight. He had jumped back on the ride and was now standing on one of the horses like a brave knight,… or a complete idiot. One hand holding the fading gold bar that was impaled through the horse.

"DAVID ARE YOU CRAZY?" I laughed standing on the railing and running a free hand through my hair.

"ONLY FOR YOU MIA!" he yelled back before blowing me a flamboyant kiss as the ride started up again.

Everyone oohed and awed in wonder at the mysterious, impishly handsome bleached blonde man clad in black standing heroically on a carrousel horse. Girls inquired jealously as to whom he might belong to, boys cringed with envy at the attention he was receiving, but all I saw was him, putting on a show to make me laugh.

All of a sudden he was grabbed by the shirt and yanked from the horse as the ride came to an abrupt stop. I cried out and covered my mouth in horror as the boardwalk security guard still held his shirt in a clinched fist. David brought his own fist up and beamed the guy in the arm to make him let go. He just stood there; I could tell David was willing to listen but not to be touched. I tried to imagine Cadence in David's place knowing that he would have blown up by now, but David remained cool and level-headed.

"You, off the boardwalk." The security guard then past me a look of distain. "And take your little girlfriend with you."

David straightened his trench coat and exited the ride again and was at my side. We began to walk away again, the ride started up again behind us. I sighed. "Well I guess that's it."

David laughed. "He said we needed to get off the boardwalk, he said nothing about the beach." He held out his arm gallantly and I blushed. "Shall we?"

"We shall." I took his arm and he led me to the steps. He let go off my arm and walked back across the boardwalk to the break-a-plate game where two kids were desperately trying to win something. I jumped up to sit on the railing of the steps and watch him take off his trench coat and set it on the ground, before paying the man running the game a dollar, he hoisted a strong pale arm back and released the baseball, breaking a plate. Than doing it again and again. He had won two giant stuffed bears and gave them both to the grateful kids. I giggled warmth and affection filling every part of me. He approached me holding his trench coat.

"I didn't know the big bad motorcycle gang leader had a soft side." I stated teasingly.

"Not a soft side." He corrected holding up his arms to me to help me down. "Just a firm believer in karma."

Again a thrill pierced through me as I found myself dangerously close to him again, in his arms, eyes meeting eyes. "Besides, I got my prize from the boardwalk a long time ago." He then draped his coat around my shoulders and I prayed to god that he couldn't see the heat coming to my cheeks. I paused momentarily listening to the music coming from the stage on the beach. "Is that?..."

I turned, my eyes lit up as I read the banner above the stage, laughing in delight.

"Modern Talking Cover band"

I turned back to David who was smirking; he leaned in close and whispered in my ear. "I told you, you needed to join me tonight."

How he knew it was my favorite band, I didn't know. Did he remember me telling him that? No, no guys didn't remember that kind of stuff. Cadence had a hard enough time remembering the year I was born. Did David really remember my favorite band?

I ran with a smile down the steps and to the concert. The crowd was bouncing and banding their heads to the music. I had found a vantage point on a crate and stood in awe of everything, running my hand through my hair and dancing, it was so simple and yet so thoughtful. The band was so amazing, almost like the real thing.

I danced, messing up my hair with my hands, flipping it and re-flipping it, laughing and thinking that no one was watching me, until I caught site of David some ways away from me, cigarette dangling from his lips, his eyes burning into me as he stared at me, watching my every movement. I blushed and slowed my dancing; I hadn't let anyone see me dance "like that" before, not even my own boyfriend. I wondered how I could let myself get so caught up in the music that I let someone,… especially someone I knew see me dance like every other girl in Santa Carla.

But I didn't stop dancing, I just smiled and continued dancing, resulting in a satisfied chuckle from David. Tonight, I didn't have to pretend. I could be silly and pretend to feel sexy and dance the way every other girl would at a concert. I think I wasn't afraid of growing up when I was with David,… because he didn't expect me to grow up, he just expected me to be me.

After that song was over, we began to stroll down the beach away from the concert, music becoming faint in the distance competing with the sound of crashing waves and seagulls. It felt good to walk under the moonlight, sand tickling me between my toes. David was kind enough to carry my shoes and stay at my side.

Our talks on trivial subjects on braces and school dances filled the air along with our laughter and I forgot everything else, like always. I had even forgotten about Davy Keats and the Widow Johnson. It was foreign to me to meet a person like this; a teacher, a concealer, a comedian, somebody that I never got tired of. What was this? Was this what a true best friend was meant to be like? Yes, I had girls who I called my best friends back home; but this was different, there was no cattiness, no harm and fowl play between us. Even with Cadence I felt always on my guard because of his short temper, I felt like maybe just maybe David was the one person I could talk about my parents' divorce with without him having bias,… but I knew that wasn't a subject for tonight, no, tonight was not the night to bring that up.

I turned to David. "Do you think that girls and guys can be best friends?" I asked.

David arched an eyebrow. "What? Are we doing when Harry met Sally now?"

I laughed and pushed his arm playfully. "I'm serious! Do you think that girls and guys can be best friends or not?"

He paused, eyes set deep in concentration, cigarette end burning orange. "I believe they can for a time, but intimacy kicks in eventually."

I paused in mid-step. "Intimacy?" I asked with a laugh.

"Yes, intimacy. But not the kind of intimacy your thinking of. An intimacy of the soul."

I blinked as he grew near, I couldn't believe how deep he was delving. "Mia, I had planned this night weeks ago when I saw the poster for the Modern Talking cover band. I can read you like a book not because your readable in general but because I know you through intimacy." I shuttered at his closeness and he resumed walking.

"That is what is so misunderstood about love. You can rush into something and say I love you until your blue in the face. Being mushy is easy, but when it comes to just being intimate through the mind and soul,… without words and without physical attraction getting in the way, that's hardcore."

I stared at him in awe of his intensity. At this he laughed and draped an arm around my shoulder deciding to simplify his last statement. "Yes, I think a guy and a girl can be best friends! Now c'mon there is one more thing I wanna do tonight."

And just like that I was whisked away on his bike to Twin Lakes Park where we strolled along the cement path along bending grass and moonlit treetops. Music swelling in the air from a boom box not too far off.

"See that guy over there." David asked pointing a gloved finger to a very old man sitting on the edge of the park's fountain with a crowd of elderly people slow dancing under the stars before him as he worked the music; we stood a good distance away on a small hill.

"Yeah." I confirmed

"He's been coming here every night since the summer of 52, used to bring a phonograph out here just so guys could take their girls out dancing without having to pay to get into a fancy club. Now he just plays oldies for whoever wants to listen"

And the next thing I knew a gloved hand slipped to my waste while another gloved hand entwined itself in mine as I was guided into a gentle sway. I felt breathless looking into his blue eyes. For a moment we were silent and just danced together.

"My grandfather used to take my grandmother here every Thursday night. And they use to take me here when I was young and we had enough money to come and visit them from Vegas,… before my dad gambled everything away."

I smiled at this sudden piece of his past that he had shared me and I had waited for him to share more, but he only pressed me closer. Not being handsy, or grabby like most guys would, just pressing me closer. Then I remembered the redhead he was with the first night I saw him.

"Do you take a lot of girls here?" I asked softly slightly dropping my gaze.

"No." David answered. "Just the ones brave enough to call me their best friend."

My body flushed as his gaze was never wavering from mind. I had always thought it was a joke when people say that the world simply just falls away when you have your first slow dance, some kind of corny hokes,…but its not. I remembered Davy Keats then and how much of a gentlemen that the Widow Johnson had told me he was and how much of an unexpected gentlemen David had turned out to be.

I looked at David in all seriousness and asked. "Who are you David?"

His smile and eyes were no more than a soft glow as he answered. "A guy who wants to dance with you."

We must have danced two hours before he decided to take me home. it felt good to be close to someone without any obligations of saying I love you 50 times over or having to say anything for that matter just two friends dancing under the moonlight, our actions speaking louder than any words could.

He took me home after that and with a simple goodbye,…one of the best nights of my life had ended as easily as it had begun.

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**sorry it took so long i was looking for a song for this chapter and couldnt pick one so here it is :)**

**im happy with how it turned out**

**hoped you enjoyed.**

**im tthinkin bout making this a saga instead of one long story**

**tell me what you think**

**please review**


	17. Chapter 17 Night from hell

"Mia,… Mia.. Mia."

I knew I was dreaming, but I couldn't wake up. His voice was even more hypnotic in dreams then in reality. I saw nothing in my dreams,…nothing but black. I only heard his voice stressing each sound of my name, sweetly, tauntingly as he snickered. The strangest part was I was dreaming, but his voice,…it didn't sound like it was in my head,…but in my room.

When I saw him smirking from the booth as I served a table jam-packed with businessmen I could read in his blue eyes that we were both in for another special night, a night not just to ourselves but to a shared night with his gang that sat around him.

The look he gave me was the same look he gave me when I was dancing, a smirk with half burning eyes studying my movement and I blushed, laughing.

I listened to the some that was swimming through the bar and began to think how aptly it was beginning to fit me.

**Oh, the night is my world**

**City light painted girl**

**In the day nothing matters**

**It's the night time that flatters**

**In the night, no control**

**Through the wall something's breaking**

**Wearing white as you're walkin'**

**Down the street of my soul**

**You take my self, you take my self control**

**You got me livin' only for the night**

**Before the morning comes, the story's told**

**You take my self, you take my self control**

Yet the smile of confidence only last momentarily as suddenly a familiar surfer boy from England called out my name and ran into my arms swirling me up in the air. My heart must have dropped into my stomach; it had not occurred to me until now how Cadence would take my new friendship with the guys who stole his backpack three years ago.

"Cadence your-your home early." I managed to choke out. "I-I wasn't expecting you till Sunday."

He gave me a cheeky smile and kissed my cheek gruffly. "Surprise baby. Your man is here now!"

I then a got good look at him. He had cut off his curls and dyed his hair black with a shock of white in his bangs, his clothes once a normal pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt now ripped jeans and a denim vest with no under shirt.

"You look different Cadence." I announced trying to make it sound like a compliment.

"You like it?" he asked holding out his vest and spinning. "Its for the band. Oh and its not Cadence anymore its Cade."

"Cade?" I asked.

"Yeah baby, sexy huh?" he gave me a smirk and stroked my cheek. I didn't like this side of him because I had never seen it before. I sat on one of the black stools and stared up at him waiting for him to strike up a conversation about his trip. But he just stared back, I even raised my eyebrow and moved my head a bit, still nothing.

"How was the trip?" I finally asked.

Cadence shrugged. "Fine I guess. Miss me?"

"Yes very much." I replied.

Another moment of awkward silence, I had been so used to David just being able to talk to me in vivid detail that I had forgotten that I needed to ask Cadence an extreme amount of questions to get a conversation out of him.

"Where did you stay?"

Another shrug. "With the band. I love you."

This was his standard fraise when he didn't have really anything else to say to me "I love you", so I heard it quite often and it didn't really bother me at first, but at this moment it made me uncomfortable as if it had suddenly lost its meaning after hearing it so often when he would run out of things to say, now the words simply seemed like a pacifier.

"I-I love you too." I half smiled.

"CADENCE!" Toni billowed holding his arms out and Cadence went to him, forgetting about me completely, it was only when he and Toni were halfway to the kitchen arms draped around each other and laughing that he turned back to look at me. "Be right back, kay?" he said before disappearing with Toni .

I sighed and went back to the table of business men and served them their sixth round of scotches. I cast a look over to David and his boys. He sat mouth hanging limply open staring at me as if in disbelief on what I had just let transpire between me and my boyfriend, his gang laughing behind him, I just shrugged from across the room.

And so the night from hell began

**Another night, another day goes by**

**I never stop myself to wonder why**

**You help me to forget to play my role**

**You take my self, you take my self control**

**I, I live among the creatures of the night**

**I haven't got the will to try and fight**

**Against a new tomorrow, so I guess I'll just believe it**

**That tomorrow never comes**

I did not dare to stop at the boy's table for two reasons. Reason one, the bar was packed and I needed to keep moving. Reason two I needed to keep my eye out for Cadence in case he exited the kitchen and spotted them and wanted to start something. I think David knew as much too because he didn't try to talk to me, only watched me and whispered something about me not going with them to the brunette man next to him, Dwayne I think it was.

I sighed, I did want to hang out with them tonight but I knew that until I talked to Cadence about it, hanging out with David wasn't a good idea, even with his boys.

I sat at the bar and started adding up receipts, doing the math in my head until I was shadowed by someone. I turned to see one of the business men towering over me, anger in his eyes and alcohol on his breath. He grabbed my shirt and yanked me off the stool, digging his nails into my skin.

"Wheres my credit card?" he demanded.

"Let go of me!" I tried punching the guy in the arm like I had seen David do to the security guard on the carrousel, but to no avail. At this point David was already out of his seat and pushing through the crowd to get to me, his eyes ablaze. We had both seen the guy's friend tuck the credit card in his shirt pocket while he was in the bathroom as a prank.

"You slutty little bitch!" he slurred now shaking me violently. "I will have your job!"

I tried to escape again. "Get your hands off of me, I don't have your damn credit card! I gave it back!"

David and now his boys still fought the crowd to come to my aid but at the same time my head snapped towards the kitchen to see Cadence and Toni exiting the kitchen to see what the commotion was, and I swear the moment I saw Cadence spot David coming towards me, the world moved in slow motion.

"You!" Cadence pointed at David before running towards him like a wild animal in heat of a hunt.

Nothing else mattered in that moment; not the guy shaking and screaming profanities and threats at me, not Toni and Flora trying to talk some sense into the drunken bastard, not even the music mattered to me anymore. All that mattered was the first punch served by Cadence directly to David's jaw.

"NO!" I screamed. Breaking free from the guy and running in between Cadence and David the two blondes from David's gang holding my boyfriend back as I saw David behind me touching his jaw with a wicked smirk, unaffected by the blow. Cadence struggled against his restrains.

"These are the assholes who stole from me." Cadence barked. He broke free from the boys grip and lunged for David again.

"No!" I said pushing him back. "Stop it Cadence, stop it now!"

"What the hell you doin protecting them huh?" he snapped face burning red and dangerously close to mine.

"He's my friend!" I said glancing back at David. "He's my friend." I repeated hot tears stinging my eyes, threatening to fall as he laughed viciously.

"Trader!" Cadence hissed violently pushing past me, mad at me as if I had done something wrong. I choked back a sob as I turned to watch him walk back into the kitchen. "Cadence?" I trembled. What had I done wrong? I didn't know. Everything had happened so fast, everything that happened was a blur.

The drunk guy and his friend had approached me now with an abundant amount of apologies, but I wasn't having any of it.

"Prick." I hissed still trying to keep the tears from falling.

David and his gang had left by now.

Flora with Killer approached me and draped a motherly arm around my shoulder as I finally let some tears slip out. "C'mon hunny lets get you home." she cooed rubbing my arm as she led me towards the door only turning back once passing me off to Killer's sheltering arms as she flipped both the guy and Cadence off uttering the word "Jerks." Before taking me home.

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**short chapter but here you go**

**Poor Mia, sad to say but things are just starting to down hill from here on out**

**please review :)**


	18. Chapter 18 Last request (narrittive)

-**Narrative-**

"Christ." Ed Cullen inhaled rubbing the sweat from the back of his neck. It had been a hard day at the office, the boss had turned down yet another one of his ideas and more pay cuts were being made and he still had the divorce papers sitting on the table at home waiting to be signed. He did feel guilty about what he had done to the little waitress. She was a cute little thing, couldn't be more than 16 or 17, no older than his boy Bryce. She was a sweet kid too, good with people, good at her job. Gees he felt awful.

" Maybe I should get her a gift card to Outback or two free boardwalk tickets." He thought pulling out a cigarette. "Definitely an apology card though." He dangled the cigarette between his lips, the moonlight glinting off his bald head as if he had just had it polished and waxed, he leaned over the pier a little more to look at the water and shook his head. "Poor kid, two assaults in one night." He then started searching himself for his lighter.

"Need a light?" a dark, smooth voice asked. Ed turned to see the orange glow of a cigarette illuminating piercing, shockingly blue eyes. Ed drew back a bit hesitant of the teens punk, all black appearance aside from the platinum spiked mullet and pale skin, but a light was a light and he took the offer leaning into the flame and giving a few puffs.

He thanked his new smoking companion who seemed to come out of nowhere in an otherwise secluded area and the teen nodded, a spark of recognition filling Ed.

"Say you're that guy from the bar that got beamed by that busboy!" he announced. "Hope you ain't to sore about what I did to your friend."

The teen was silent and turned towards the water and leaned against a wood post. "Mia." He stated coldly. "Her name is Mia." The teen than blew out a cloud of smoke over the water.

"Mia." Ed repeated. "Swell name. Your girl?"

The teen shook his head. "Busboys girl."

Ed nodded catching the underlying bitterness in the young man's tone. "Not interested or did he get to her first?" Ed questioned.

"He got to her first."

Ed shrugged sympathetically. "Gees that's rough buddy." He mused. "Seems like a real cutie too."

"That she is." Said the young man blankly.

Ed removed the cigarette from his lips and ground it out under his heal putting his fedora back atop his head. "Well. I hope things work out for you. Thanks for the light."

As Ed turned he heard the teen chuckle darkly. "Who am I to deny a last request,… to a dying man."

At this Ed turned to back on his heal to question the meaning of the young man's statement,… but only managed to scream.

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**pre request of the lovely i did a david chapter**

**a special shoutout tto my best friend Kaylee who helps me sooo much**

**please review if you want more **


	19. Chapter 19 All she wanted was an apology

-**Mia's p.o.v-**

When my mom came in my room in the morning to tell me that Cadence was downstairs I was already awake huddled under my blanket in the dark watching reruns of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour since the marathon of the first season of Beauty and the Beast had been over well past 4am. It was my favorite show because of the poetry in it and the deep connection between Vincent and Catherine. It made me cry along with the thousands of other hopeless romantic viewers who watched it.

I made my way down the steps in my sweatpants and white tank, hair yanked back in a high ponytail, at this point I was so blazing mad at my boyfriend I did not care how grungy I looked in front of him. Hell no, at this point he could suffer through the sweatpants that made my thighs look huge and my non-made up face and be fricken happy about it!

When he saw me his mouth dropped. "Hello my radiant-troll under a bridge. What are you wearing?" he laughed jokingly, but I scowled and went straight to the fridge to get some milk and Oreos.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." He laughed following me into the kitchen. "You look pretty as always. Gah, someone's touchy this morning."

Someone's touchy this morning?... was he freaking serious? He had to be kidding right? I stared at him for a brief moment and he gave me a dopy smile, straddling a chair and waving at me like a child. "Hi pumpkin!" he cooed, I rolled my eyes and shut the fridge door going to the table.

I sat down still eying that dopy smile plastered on his face, secretly wanting to smack it off; "Whats eattin you babe?" he questioned.

"Whats eating me?" I repeated in a tone that asked him if he seriously didn't know, I poured milk into my bowl. "oh." I sighed. "Maybe the fact that you tried to beat my friends up, called me a trader and nearly knocked me on my ass trying to get past me, that could be it." My tone was a mild, mocking singsong, even though I was boiling.

Cadence slammed his hand against the table. "They stole from me!"

"Like three years ago as a dumb prank, it was nothing personal! You get into fights for fun you need to get over it!" I shot back.

Then in a fit of rage he kicked the kitchen chair over.

"Knocking over furniture, that's nice." I grumbled. He ran up to my chair and got in my face. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME MIA!?" he hissed.

I was scared now but wouldn't show it. "An apology would be nice." I snapped.

"Why should I apologize for something YOU DID?" he barked stepping around the table. I shot out of my seat.

"I did?" I questioned, then catching his meaning. "Making new friends? Is that a fault?"

He then pointed a finger at me while going into the living room. "YES! BECAUSE YOU KNEW I HATE THEM AND THAT THEY'RE BAD PEOPLE!"

I stormed after him. "Oh yeah because you hate them, real mature." I mumbled. "You know just because YOU hate someone doesn't mean I have to, this isn't kindergarten."

He reached in his pocket. "Fine you want an apology, here! Something better!"

He handed me an envelope gruffly. "What is it?" I asked.

"Your acceptance letter to Davis, we both got in we leave in a month!"

My mouth dropped in anger and I half squealed. "YOU CHOSE MY COLLEGE?" I shouted.

"Your Jr. College, it was too hard to get you into a university." He smirked and then threw his arms out. "Surprise now we can be together forever."

"You jerk!" I screamed. "That was a life choice and it wasn't yours to make!" I pushed him a little, tears coming from my eyes and he just laughed. "I don't see any acceptance letters from the colleges you applied for! Where are they huh? The way I look at it I did you a favor, hunny!"

He then pushed me into the chair by the door and turned back to me at the door. "Let's see any of your new friends do THAT!"

And with that he left me sobbing into my hands in front of the door, just waiting for my mom or grandma to get home; my world unraveling before my very eyes.

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**ooh you can bet when david gets wind of this he'll be pissed**

**please review**


	20. Chapter 20 Gene Kelly

I did not know what made Cadence change, what I did wrong, what I could dot to fix it, I did love him,… in my own way. Was I 'in' love with him? I didn't know… I did not know what love entailed, I did know that I was too young to know that. I was learning though that words weren't enough and that rushing into things based on attraction wasn't wise, nor was believing in "love at first sight" as Cadence put it.

I hadn't told mom and grandma the full story about what happened, only about what happened at Toni's. I didn't want to worry them. I had even hidden the acceptance letter in our antique writing desk. From what little they knew they had told me to avoid Cadence for a while and I did. The only person I had told the full story to was Flora, her being the first to know about my friendship with David, although I kept our dance in the park to myself.

We both watched as fingerprint bruises slowly began to appear on my wrist. Flora hated Cadence for this but kept it at bay for my sake. Knowing that I was having a rough time she drove me over to Felton during our lunch hour to Heavenly Burgers for two days straight. Although we had Marioni's ice cream parlor in Santa Carla, Heavenly Burgers' ice cream was way better, and it was worth the 30 minute drive over to Felton.

We would sit by the window and look out onto the street and Flora would speak of her wedding plans to keep my mind off of what happened. Her plans were to have her wedding at the Chapel of the Four Seasons in August with the color scheme of deep navy and white. At this I would smile and think of my dream wedding of champagne-pink and cream, florets of baby's-breath and carnations everywhere with soft candlelight, my wedding also at the Chapel of the Four Seasons only in mid-January instead of early August.

I was Flora's maid of honor, and in my head she was mine too.

"What do you think me and Killer should dance to?" she said tucking her pencil behind her ear, into her bleach blonde curls and picking her note pad up to her eyes.

"We have it narrowed down to True by Spandau Ballet, Missing You by John Waite or Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper."

I crinkled my nose; the only song I really liked from the list was Missing You by John Waite but to me, that wasn't really a wedding song.

Flora laughed at my expression and put the note pad back down. "Unless you have a better idea."

I did. The melody had swelled and danced through my mind as soft as the falling of snow since the moment I heard it in the park. Every time I dared to play the refrain in my thoughts I felt the shadow of his touch; on my waste and in my hand. Making me want to run back to the park in the middle of the night to hear that song and know that touch again.

"A Very Precious Love by Gene Kelly." I said dreamily.

Flora raised an eyebrow. "The dancer?"

No, Gene Kelly the artist, the wonder, the star of stars in the 1950s! He was the man that instilled in me my love for all things old fashioned and set me up with hopeless, romantic standards filled with idealisms unmatched. The man who filled me with hopes from the tender age of 12 that the one for me would be spontaneous and exciting and magical just as he was.

It was funny,… but the moment David took me in his arms that night out of nowhere and danced with me just to dance with me,… he reminded me of Gene,... My Gene.

**A very precious love  
Is what you are to me  
A stairway to a star  
A night in Shangri la of ecstasy**

Lanterns of gold  
Lanterns of blue  
Twinkle in the shadows  
While I dance with you  
An echo in the wind  
Across the summer lake  
Is sayin' you should know  
that lanterns lose their glow  
and hearts can break

So hold me close my darling  
then kiss me tenderly  
And give your precious love  
Your very precious love to me

"Mia? Earth to Mia! Helloo Mia Pia!"

I snapped out of my daydreams at the sound of Flora's voice. I shook my head.

"Gah Flo, sorry I must have been spacing out, you were saying?" I leaned on my hand to show that she now had my full attention, wondering how far she had gotten in the conversation while I was off somewhere in la-la land.

"I said, what did you think of the navy dress at Coballa?" she repeated.

"Coballa?" it took me a moment to realize we had moved on from the topic of songs to the topic of brides maid dresses. "Oh yeah Coballa!" I announced in recognition, and then shrugged digging my spoon into my green-tea ice cream. "I mean its ok, but you are the bride you get the final say."

Flora pursed her lips in deep thought before taking a bite of her cherry ice cream. "Maybe we should drop by Coballa after work on Sunday and check it out again."

"Are they opened that late?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Ok, cool I'm in."

Flora then got a smug look on her face. "So why don't you ask that David guy to be your date for the wedding? I've always wondered what prince charming looked like." She mocked, I blushed looking down at the table.

"I-I don't think he's the wedding date type."

Flora shrugged. "He is if he's calling you his best friend, giving you a ride home and taking you to your favorite concert as a surprise without expecting anything in return." She paused. "You know what I think, I think he likes you, and you like him!"

I smiled at the thought, I liked the mystery of not knowing how David really felt about me, a feeling a never got with Cadence who told me that he loved me during our first date; a statement that I didn't really full heartedly believed at that time since he barely knew me back then,… and scarcely knew me now for that fact.

I shrugged. "I don't know. We're just friends. I still want to try and make it work with Cadence."

Flora rolled her eyes and said under her breath. "He's an annoying little bug if you ask me."

But we both knew I did have a crush on David, though I refused to admit it out load.

Our attention was then turned to the TV screen mounted on the shelf in the top left-hand corner of the room as we watched the daily missing persons report on the news. A few faces of people I didn't know flashed on the screen before I dropped my spoon.

"Holy shit." Flora mused stretching out the words.

There before us on the screen was Ed Cullen and Fred Dawson side by side; the guy who bullied me at Toni's and the boardwalk security guard from the carrousel who tried to rough David up.

My heart pounded in my ears as I heard that wicked chuckling ringing in my mind, my mouth tried to form words but failed each time, and the laugh grew louder in my head. I managed to whisper one word and one word alone through parted lips.

"…David…"

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**a kinda fuffy filler chapter thing**

**I have put Mia through so much i wanted to give Mia a little break by lettting her have a nice outing with Flora getting ice cream.**

**anyway i FINALLY found a song for the dance chapter but i didn'tt feel like going back and adding it so i just threw it in this chapter**

**and yes i think Gene Kelly is that awsome**

**btw the pic i chose is a pic of Brooke Shields *who i see as Mia***

**i hope this story is still ok, because im not getting as many reviews as i use to :(**

**thanks for reading hope you enjoyed**

**please review :)**


	21. Chapter 21 Interventions & suport group

Why David had come to mind when that happened I don't know. I knew he couldn't- he wouldn't! but I had bigger problems surfacing.

The moment I saw mother, grandma and Max sitting in a semi-circle in the living room I should have known something was up.

"Mia hunny." Max said standing as I entered through the front door and then they all stood. My eyes darted to the coffee table to see the Davis acceptance letter opened and panic struck me. "Oh crap!" I thought, and then tugged at my sleeves to cover up the fingerprint bruises. I knew they would go ballistic if they saw them.

Max approached me, taking off his glasses and cleaning them. "Mia, sweetheart, I think you should come in and sit down."

Oh my god! I had never felt the fear of the lord in me so strongly as I did in this moment. I obeyed sitting in the oak rocker as they all stared at me.

Max took a deep breath and leaned forward. "Mia hunny." He began. "Do you know what an abusive relationship is?"

An intervention? They were having an intervention? Oh dear lord, could this get any worse? How much did they know? A lot more then I wanted them to that was for sure. Oh this cannot end well.

My mom then decided to intervene. "Mia, Max tells us that he heard you and Cadence fighting the other morning, and then we found this acceptance letter in the writing desk. Whats going on?"

I clasp my hands and looked down at my feet shakily. "Ye-yes we did fight that morning when he came over, about what he did,…to my friends." I managed to say. I then had to go into detail per detail about what happened. They were all boiling, asking me a thousand questions about why I didn't do this or why I didn't do that and if I was still with him.

"Why did you lie to me Mia? I asked you if everything was ok between you two, why did you lie?" my mom asked hurriedly, I swallowed my tears brewing in my eyes, blinking them back.

"I didn't lie." I said. "I just didn't want to tell you everything yet."

"That's the same as lying!" she cried. I would not understand until I was much older that her anger wasn't at me, but at the situation, I was her only baby, after all. "When were you going to tell us?"

"When I had everything figured out and handled." I whispered.

My mother and grandmother then began pacing and Max knelt down before me taking my hands in his. "Mia, sweetie, we understand that you are a big girl and want to handle things in your own way and in your own time. But you have to understand us, we all love you here and only want whats best for your safety."

I just wanted it to be over. I wanted it all to go away, I didn't want anybody to fuss over this one little fight. I wanted to handle it, figure out what I was going to do with Cadence and then move on. I think I knew what I wanted to do; separate from Cadence and see if we could be friends at least; he had pushed me mentally and physically because he was angry, and I knew that was wrong, but my mother and grandmother were going on and on about police reports and law suits and other unnecessary legal actions. In fact, the only one who was making any sort of logical sense to me was Max who brought the whole thing up in the first place.

My head was swimming by the end of the night and I had to take two Aspirin before bed. Things eventually died down and the intervention became more of a support group as they all assured me that it would be ok in the end and that I always had their love in whatever I did.

All at once I was grateful for Max and the fathering, voice of reason role that he had taken that night.

We had all come to a mutual decision that I should take advantage of the acceptance letter and at least go see the Davis campus, by perhaps taking a mini vacation from the drama and staying at a hotel in Davis for a week come Monday morning.

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**not my best chapter but i need it to move the story along**


	22. Chapter 22 Embraoidery of Lace

Looking back I knew I was being dumb, that I should have told them sooner, I should have walked away from Cadence during that fight. I could have been a better girlfriend, a better daughter, a better granddaughter, a better everything.

There were so many should haves, could haves and would haves; like the mystery of Davy Keats that I had just locked away in a drawer for another day,… a day that would never come. But I think even if I knew then what I know now the outcome wouldn't have changed, been prolonged maybe but not changed.

It was Sunday night and everything was packed for my trip to Davis in the morning. It would be my first trip alone for more than a day or two, this fact weighted heavy on my mind even as I sat in Coballa watching Flora try on wedding dresses. I was nervous and spacing out again.

"Mia?" Flora called, I snapped my head away from whatever I was staring at and gazed at her in awe; the dress was beautiful, ivory lace on the sleeves and neckline. She spun happily and I smiled before a sharp pain from my chest pierced through my body making me whence. I smacked my hand where the pain was, cradling my chest as it slowly died away.

Flora looked to me in concern. "Are you ok Mia Pia?" she asked lifting her skirt and coming towards me. I managed a smile. "Yeah fine." I said. "Just heartburn." It had been going on all day in small spurts, getting stronger and stronger with each time. I knew it was just nerves.

Flora looked at me skeptically before her eyes lit up. "Oh!" she cried running to the dress rack behind me. "OH Mia, Mia you have to try this one on! Its so beautiful! Its so you!"

I turned; in her hand she held a stunning cream colored gown. off the shoulders with embroidery of lace and faux pearls covering the bodius with hints of it on the tool skirt. Any bride would have been drooling over this dress, with the exception of Flora you preferred something less delicate.

"Try it on!" she insisted again.

I giggled. "But I'm not getting married, you are!"

She grunted and threw the gorgeous gown into my arms before pushing me into a dressing room playfully. "Just do it!" she ordered.

I closed the silver door behind me and locked it, throwing the dress on the bench and stripping down. Sighing I peered out the small window of the dressing room and held the moon in the clear night sky; I had never seen it so bright, so beautiful, so clear. I could even see its craters.

I slipped on the dressed and marveled at it before the full-length mirror. It fit as if it were made for my body and my body alone, hugging me in all the right places and hanging limp where it was supposed to. I smiled as I adjusted my pony tail and turned from side to side, my mind slipping into girlish whim, enjoying the Nat King Cole song softly playing.

"Hows it look?" Flora asked knocking on the door, face pressed close.

"Gorgeous!" I twittered, spinning around.

Flora began bouncing outside of the childishly, half whining. "Lemme see lemme see!"

With a grin I went toward the door and reached for the knob, but halted when that pain ceased my chest again. I tried to shake it off and reached for the nob again but it came back even stronger. By this time I had doubled over as every muscle of my body spasms with a horrible sharp pain. I had knocked over a Ming vase and small table when I had fallen and had landed arm extended in the glass shards, blood spilling on the pure white shagged rug of the dressing room. I could hear Flora pounding and beating on the door to see what was going on. I gasp and wheezed as my body involuntarily curled up into a ball with the exception of my arm, each blood vain boiling and threatening to explode as I screamed without sound. My heart beat blaring in my ears slowing down, down, down.

"MIA! MIA!" Flora screamed still banging on the door full force.

But I couldn't answer,…because,…I was already dead.

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**end of part 1**

**part 2 will be better, with alot more of the boys**

**tell me what ya thought **


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